I'll believe it when RedBull actually releases a statement. Everyone was sure Checo was gonna get canned last summer as well, and Alpine was sure they signed Piastri

It's 99% happening.

I wonder if this is a case of Lawson being out out or just a case of putting Yuki in to see if it makes any difference. Eg. Yuki gets the next 3 races and they'll decide who stays on.

Knowing Red Bull it'll be a musical chair and Hadjar will be in the car for the 6th race and then Colapinto will show up by the summer break before Lawson gets another shot due to doing a great job at Racing Bulls.

Pretty big risk for Yuki as well if he can’t drive it either

^ Agreed, there's no guarantee that Yuki can calm the beast either. What if Yuki refuses to swap teams?

Yuki is probably out of a seat next year as well since the Honda partnership ended. Might as well take the risk and see if he can get into Q3 at RBR

^ exactly, its yuki's last chance to have a drive next year. Honda dumping their pockets to make it happen. It would be hilarious if Lawson is faster in the whitebull.

Rich

Kym Illman reported on TikTok that Honda pays $10m (EUR?) to Yuki's seat at Racing Bulls and they offered another $10m during the offseason for the RB seat. Apparently Red Bull went back to Honda either before or after Shanghai and asked Honda to pony up for Yuki and Honda said they'd pay up only if Yuki's in the seat for Suzuka thus this switch happening now.

Clown show at RB.

Imagine Yuki gets the RB seat for Suzuka and does worse than he would've in the RB2. Honda out 20M... :badpokerface:

Yuki to Red Bull confirmed by Red Bull Racing instagram and VCARB

Will the RB21 bury another career?

https://www.instagram.com/p/DHslFQmM...R6Njd3emNuaA==

Good luck Yuki. RBR seat 2 has eaten many people alive

Others are saying it's a win win for Yuki. If he performs well, it'll be years of vindication for being overlooked by Red Bull for other drivers

If he fails, it merely reinforces the point that the Red Bull is secretly a POS and is only made to be driven well by Max.

Dutch journalist Erik van Haren apparently has reported that Max didn't seem happy with the decision to replace Liam, mostly since it seems that RB still thinks its only a driver problem and can be magically fixed with 1 Driver swap, instead of a design problem that even Max himself is not happy with.

I dunno.. this season has been some of the best we’ve seen Yuki driving. I’ve never really been too sold on him figured skill wise he’s always been a bottom half driver but his first two races this season have really impressed me

If you go to RBR and fail I don’t think it’s an automatic he’s going to get another seat

I think the narrative around Yuki has always been worse than his performance - he's only ever been beaten by Gasly and that was early Yuki. Since then he's destroyed de Vries and beat Lawson and Riccardo fair and square.

He's definitely bottom half but I'd say he compares well now to Ocon, Gasly, and Hulk.

I can't even imagine the pressure Yuki must be feeling.

Being asked to drive what is arguably the most difficult car in F1 to drive, in the seat with the most pressure, with the entire team leaning on you for points to have a chance for the constructors....

Doing it all for the first time at your HOME RACE with an entire country idolizing you.

Holy moly.