Driver swap at Red Bull 'not news' for Sainz: 'The way things go there'

Entering the Japanese Grand Prix, Red Bull have made the decision to replace Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda. Carlos Sainz, who has experience with the Red Bull family, was not surprised the Austrians made that decision so early into the campaign.

The Spanish driver was driving for Toro Rosso (now called Racing Bulls) from 2015 until 2017, therefore, has first-hand experience in how their system works

"No, I just think it's nothing new. It's just Red Bull and the way things are handled in Red Bull, and the way things go in Red Bull," he began to Viaplay about the team's latest driver swap.

Sainz therefore just saw a trend continue when it comes to promotions. "We've seen it in the last 10 years in Formula 1 or since I'm in F1 that that's the way things are done there. One day you get the chance, the next day if you don't do exactly the way you're expected to do, you get the upgrade or the downgrade. That's the way things are at Red Bull. No news for me."

Sainz defends Lawson: 'It takes time'

Sainz also joined another team entering the current season, namely, Williams. After competing for Ferrari, he has been outperformed by the more established driver within the team, Alexander Albon, in the first two rounds of the 2025 season.

Therefore, he understands that similarly to him, Lawson needed time to adjust to his new car. "It takes time to adapt to a new car. And look at me, I'm experienced and I'm taking my time to adapt to a new car in Williams. But the problem that you have in a top team is that you're not given that time because you have to perform."

He concluded. "You're fighting for a championship and there's no time, which I think Liam said it very well the other day. And it's the way it goes. Unfortunately, you don't get that time in Formula 1, the days that you would like to have the time, the days that you would like to have the time, and especially in Red Bull, it's the way it goes."

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This article was written in collaboration with Mitchel van der Hoef

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