Image: from RBR Daily X@RBR_Daily
The Formula 1 season has exploded into a frenzy of in-season driver changes, injecting fresh dynamics and drama into the competitive grid. The most sensational moves involve a direct swap between Red Bull Racing and its sister team, Racing Bulls, and a major shake-up at Alpine.
Red Bull’s Bold Move: Tsunoda Ascends, Lawson Returns to Racing Bulls
In a stunning announcement following the Chinese Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing pulled the trigger on a significant driver switch. Yuki Tsunoda was promoted from Racing Bulls to make his debut for the senior Red Bull squad, starting from the Japanese Grand Prix.
Tsunoda’s move marks a major career milestone, rewarding his consistent performances and development. Stepping into the highly-coveted Red Bull seat mid-season places immediate pressure on the young Japanese driver to deliver alongside the team’s established star.
Conversely, Liam Lawson, who had been occupying the Red Bull seat, was demoted back to Racing Bulls. The move sees the talented New Zealander return to the team where he previously impressed, aiming to regain form and continue his development trajectory. This internal reshuffle is a clear signal of Red Bull’s ruthless pursuit of optimal performance and driver evaluation.
Why Red Bull decided swift action was needed as Yuki Tsunoda is promoted in place of Liam Lawson 👇
Read the analysis from Lawrence Barretto on our website, at the link below 📝#F1https://t.co/gsqHDeARdR
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 27, 2025
Alpine’s Rotating Door: Colapinto Replaces Doohan
The driver market hasn’t been quiet at Alpine either. Following the Miami Grand Prix, the French outfit made a pivotal change, relegating Jack Doohan to a reserve driver role.
Taking his place is former reserve driver Franco Colapinto . Colapinto’s debut came at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, initially on a “rotating seat” basis scheduled to run until the Austrian Grand Prix.
However, Colapinto’s efforts quickly impressed the Alpine management. Before the race at Spielberg, the team confirmed that he would retain his seat, effectively moving to a race-by-race evaluation. This secures his place on the grid for the foreseeable future, adding another exciting talent to the mix. It’s worth noting that Colapinto already has nine Grand Prix starts under his belt from his time with Williams in 2024, giving him a solid foundation to build upon at Alpine.
These bold decisions underscore the relentless, high-stakes nature of Formula 1. Teams are clearly unwilling to wait until the off-season to make changes, prioritizing immediate performance gains and the evaluation of their talent pools. The mid-season swaps have undoubtedly added a fascinating layer to the championship battle and the intra-team dynamics across the grid.
Bibliography Entries
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F1.com Staff. “Alpine confirm Colapinto to replace Doohan for next five rounds as team opt to ‘rotate’ seat.” Formula 1, May 7, 2025.
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F1.com Staff. “Tsunoda to replace Lawson at Red Bull from Japanese GP as New Zealander drops down to Racing Bulls.” Formula 1, March 27, 2025.
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Mitchell-Malm, Scott. “Colapinto replaces Doohan at Alpine – but faces review after five races.” The Race, May 7, 2025.
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Xinhua News Agency. “F1: Alpine replaces Doohan with Colapinto.” Xinhua, May 7, 2025.
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Yahoo News Australia. “F1 news LIVE: Horner explains brutal Red Bull decision to drop Liam Lawson for Yuki Tsunoda.” Yahoo News Australia, March 27, 2025.
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Wikipedia. “Alpine A525.” Accessed December 13, 2025.
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