IndyCar driver Alexander Rossi recently came out and discussed Red Bull’s move to demote Liam Lawson to VCARB (aka Racing Bulls). Amid this, James Hinchcliffe and Rossi also talked about the possibility of Max Verstappen’s move to Visa Cash App RB to test the Red Bull car theory.
Yuki Tsunoda was promoted into the Red Bull seat to partner Max Verstappen as Liam Lawson was moved to the VCARB seat following the disappointing results in the first two races in the 2025 F1 season. The Japanese star out-qualified and outperformed the struggling Kiwi driver in the first couple of races in Australia and China.
However, James Hinchcliffe and Alexander Rossi then discussed the possibility of Lawson finishing ahead of Tsunoda after switching teams, which will potentially reveal the issue with Red Bull's RB21, and suggest that the VCARB might be the faster car.
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The IndyCar driver then asked Hinchcliffe what Red Bull would do if this indeed came out to be true, to which the he said (via Off Track with Hinch and Rossi podcast):
“They put Max in a Racing Bull. Because if the car is that much better, or at least that much more drivable, but here's the thing, right? You go back to, I've only been two races. I think in Australia, Max was a 10th and a half off pole, or maybe I was even in China. It was like 0.17 or something. So like over a lap, the car's got some pretty serious pace, right?”
“So you have to believe that Max in an RB is going to be at least three tenths quicker than Yuki on pure single lap pace,” added Alexander Rossi.
The Red Bull cars have been rumored to be built around the characteristics that suit Max Verstappen, and hence all of the Dutchman's recent teammates have struggled, including the likes of Sergio Perez, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly.
Alexander Rossi details his conversation with Colton Herta regarding Alex Palou’s IndyCar dominance
Alex Palou started the 2025 IndyCar season and his title defense with back-to-back wins in the first two races - Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and Thermal Club GP. Alexander Rossi came out on the Off-Track with Hinch and Rossi podcast and revealed his conversation with Andretti Global driver Colton Herta regarding Palou's IndyCar dominance. He said (24:23 onwards):
“I talked to Colton afterwards, and I was like, man, it's a tough look for all of us. Like, I'm not, you can't sugarcoat this any way other than he is just mopping the floor with 26 other drivers and engineers and everyone.”
“Do you know that there's only one driver that has finished in the top five in both races, and he happens to have won both of them,” he added.
The #20 Ed Carpenter Racing driver qualified P6 for the race at Thermal Club IndyCar race and finished P9.
