Liam Lawson 'thrown away like a wet newspaper' remarks 6x F1 winner 

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has remarked that Liam Lawson was thrown out of Red Bull "like a wet newspaper," amid his removal from the team and the subsequent replacement by Yuki Tsunoda. The Kiwi driver will head back to Racing Bulls after two races with the senior team.

Yuki Tsunoda will debut at the Japanese Grand Prix in his native country, while Lawson will be back in the Racing Bulls seat again. This ruthless move by Red Bull has been criticized by fans and experts alike.

One of the loudest voices against the Red Bull group and their decision is Ralf Schumacher. The 6x F1 race-winner claimed that the management group at the Austrian team does not have a clear idea of what they want to do with the team going forward.

When asked about Lawson and what the young driver would be feeling after a move like this, Schumacher told Racing News 365:

“It's very tough, of course, because you think, 'I've made it, I'm now in one of the best teams and I have a year to prove myself.' And then, after two races, you are thrown away like a wet newspaper, to put it crudely. That's tough.” [translated via Google]

Red Bull had decided to go with Liam Lawson over Yuki Tsunoda to replace Sergio Perez in 2025, even though the latter was more experienced and was quicker than Lawson when the two were teammates towards the end of last season. This meant that the team trusted Lawson to have a higher ceiling than Tsunoda.

Now, as they returned to Tsunoda, just after two races, it further added to the notion of Red Bull being unsure about their decision making in regards to the second seat on the team.

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Liam Lawson 'will probably never become a top driver,' claims Ralf Schumacher

Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda at the Qatar Grand Prix, 2024 - Source: Getty

Ralf Schumacher also stated that Liam Lawson "will probably never become a top driver" following his failed stint with the Red Bull team. The former German driver has claimed that the team would have been better off putting someone new in the Racing Bulls seat over the 23-year-old.

Schumacher's sympathies with Lawson ended pretty quickly, as he gave his verdict on what he thought of the Kiwi driver's abilities on track, via Racing News 365, saying:

"I wouldn't put Liam Lawson in a Formula One car right now. I would have preferred to give that opportunity to a young driver; there are plenty lined up. Because one thing is clear: he will probably never become a top driver and in a situation like this you might as well go for the next in line and try your luck."

While Lawson is participating in his third consecutive F1 season this year, the rookie has yet to complete a full season in the sport. He will not get to spend a whole year with the same team this year either, and could also fall out of the group completely, depending on his performance at the sister Racing Bulls team.