Schumacher fears F1 star has made 'career ending' mistake... and it's NOT Lawson

Red Bull

Schumacher fears F1 star has made 'career ending' mistake... and it's NOT Lawson

Yuki Tsunoda will race with Red Bull at the Japanese Grand Prix

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 3 April 2025 12:55

Ralf Schumacher has argued that Yuki Tsunoda’s promotion to Red Bull could be ‘career-ending’, especially if he is unable to perform better than Liam Lawson at the F1 team.

Lawson’s demotion to Racing Bulls comes after a miserable start to the season, where he clearly struggled to get to grips with the RB21 and was unable to finish higher than P16 at his last race in China.

Max Verstappen has suggested that the Racing Bulls car is easier to drive than the Red Bull, sentiments that Schumacher echoed in an interview with Sky Germany, where he also suggested that Tsunoda should not have accepted the Red Bull drive.

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"I would have turned it down because the car is a problem at the moment. I almost feel the Racing Bulls is the better car of the two and easier to drive overall,” Schumacher said.

“Tsunoda was fast there, and now to come to a new team without any testing alongside Max Verstappen – I don't see where he can win.”

Schumacher issues warning to Tsunoda

Whilst Tsunoda has cut a confident figure ahead of his Red Bull debut, claiming he is ready to fight Verstappen and step on the podium at Suzuka, Schumacher claims that racing at Red Bull could end the Japanese driver’s career.

“If he gets halfway there, everyone says that's normal. But if he's as far away as Lawson, then that's the end of his career,” the German added.

“That's why, as a manager, I would have finished my season, independent of Red Bull, and looked elsewhere."

Red Bull will part ways with Japanese engine manufacturer Honda at the end of 2025, with some suggesting that Tsunoda’s relationship could also end with the team if he fails to perform.

Honda will instead become Aston Martin’s engine supplier in 2026, and if Tsunoda is not competitive at Red Bull could a move to the Silverstone-based squad be on the cards? Or will his reputation be tarnished after a season at Red Bull?

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Red Bull Max Verstappen Yuki Tsunoda Liam Lawson Ralf Schumacher Racing Bulls