Yuki Tsunoda stepped up again for Racing Bulls on Saturday as Liam Lawson, preferred over the Japanese as Max Verstappen's new Red Bull teammate, continued his difficult start to the Formula One season.
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While New Zealander Lawson qualified last, and recognised his performances had not been good enough, Tsunoda reached the top 10 for the second race in a row and starts ninth in Shanghai on Sunday.
The Japanese lined up fifth in Australia a weekend ago, with Lawson down in 18th.
Asked whether he still wanted to drive the Red Bull given how much Lawson has struggled, Tsunoda replied; "Why not? The car is faster (than the Racing Bull)... I'm sure."
Teammate Isack Hadjar and four-time world champion Verstappen qualified seventh and fourth respectively.
Red Bull have a record of switching teammates over the years but are expected to give Lawson time after promoting him from Racing Bull as a replacement for under-performing Mexican Sergio Perez.
Liam Lawson hasn't outqualified Yuki Tsunoda in 772 days (2023 Singapore). pic.twitter.com/cjENM0qJVt
— formularacers (@formularacers_) March 22, 2025
The former champions have long struggled to find a second driver capable of keeping up with Verstappen, their clear priority and reigning champion.
Current Williams driver Alex Albon was dropped at the end of 2020 to make way for Perez after having been promoted halfway through the 2019 season to replace Pierre Gasly, now at Renault-owned Alpine.
Yuki Tsunoda finished ahead of a McLaren, ahead of a Mercedes and 22 seconds ahead of Liam Lawson in that sprint race ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/YWByqRVRly
— Autosport (@autosport) March 22, 2025
Russia's Daniil Kvyat lost his seat with the team mid-season in 2016 to make space for Verstappen.
"I've got to get a handle on it," Lawson said of his performance.
"It was a messy session and had we not dealt with traffic, it might have been OK but it's still not good enough.
"We should be fast enough on our first lap and it shouldn't be an issue. I just need to get on top of it. I think it's just time. Unfortunately, I don't really have time.
"To drive an F1 car takes 100 per cent confidence in what you're doing. It's not that I don't feel confident but the window is so small that I just seem to miss it and it's that I need to get a handle of. I don't know how else to put it."