‘Can’t imagine’: Bonkers rumour rocks Aussie, Formula 1 grid

Formula 1’s silly season has exploded with rumours an “unimaginable twist” could save Jack Doohan, who may still be a dead man walking.

Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson both have an axe hovering above their heads.

That’s according to several wild rumours that have begun spreading since the weekend’s F1 Chinese Grand Prix.

Aussie Doohan is at the centre of the speculation with reports he is likely to be axed by his Alpine team before the European leg of the season begins in May.

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Rumours that the team is set to replace him with reserve driver Franco Colapinto are nothing new, but the latest reports suggest Doohan’s hold on his seat is slipping even further after two difficult race weekends to start the year.

In a wild twist to the bubbling drama, rumours emerged this week that Argentine Colapinto could also be headhunted by Red Bull’s junior team (Racing Bulls Honda). That move would inadvertently wipe Lawson off the grid entirely if the senior Red Bull outfit drop the guillotine on the Kiwi.

Lawson, 23, has struggled more than anybody could have expected since replacing Sergio Perez, qualifying 18th at the Australian Grand Prix and 20th in China. He was also dead last in qualifying for Saturday’s Sprint Race at the Shanghai International Circuit. He also spun out and failed to finish the race in Melbourne.

Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson. Photo by Clive Rose and Rudy Carezzevoli, Getty Images.

Motorsport.com first reported Red Bull is already considering changing its driver line up in order to promote Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda from the junior Red Bull team to be Verstappen’s next teammate.

According to reports, that move could be made this week ahead of Tsunoda’s home Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit on April 6.

If the bonkers rumours are true, Lawson could be left without a seat altogether if Racing Bulls Honda sign up Colapinto to partner rising star Isack Hadjar.

Colapinto’s future has been a circus ever since he was loaned out by Williams to Alpine before Doohan got the nod ahead of him to partner Pierre Gasly.

Leading Formula 1 journalist Nate Saunders reported for ESPN that the rumours of Colapinto joining Racing Bulls would be “farfetched”. He said Colapinto is much more likely to usurp Doohan.

Saunders wrote Tsunoda is the preferred option for Red Bull — if Lawson is cut.

Formula 1 journalist Kunal Shah also reported Lawson’s poor start to the year could give Doohan a lifeline. Shah wrote on X he “couldn’t have imagined such a scenario”, calling it the “unforeseen twist of the 2025 season”.

Doohan has been under mounting pressure after a disappointing weekend in Melbourne where he did not finish the race and qualified P14. He finished 13th in Sunday’s race in Shanghai, but teammate Gasly also struggled across the weekend. To make matters worse, Doohan was handed a four-point penalty on his FIA super license for incidents across the weekend.

In yet another wild twist, Formula 1 pundit Ralf Schumacher also said on Monday he had received confirmation from an insider that the team has already privately made the decision to swap Lawson for Tsunoda for the Japanese Grand Prix.

“Just got the message from the F1 insider and I already checked it, Liam Lawson is already out of Red Bull for the next race,” he told Sky Sports.

Lawson seems to be on much shakier ground than Doohan with Red Bull boss Christian Horner failing to guarantee his young driver’s future with the team after the Chinese Grand Prix.

“We will study all the data and do our best to support Liam. But we also need two drivers who score points,” he said.

Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko also confirmed the team is set to hold an emergency meeting to talk through the slow start to the season in England this week. He admitted the team is “worried” about Lawson.

When discussing Tsunoda’s impressive form to start the 2025 season, Marko was glowing with his remarks.

“Yuki is a different Yuki from the years before. He is in the form of his life. Obviously he changed his management. He has a different approach. He’s more mature. It took a while, but now it looks like it’s working,” Marko said to motorsport.com.

Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson in the pit lane paddock. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.

The internal team drama surrounding a potential driver swap went up another level when Tsunoda fronted cameras in the media paddock behind pit lane on Saturday.

The 24-year-old was asked if he would be happy to take Lawson’s seat if the offer presented itself.

“Yeah, why not? Always,” he responded.

He was asked about the potential of him bumping Lawson before his home Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in two weeks’ time.

He replied: “In Japan? Yeah, 100 per cent. I mean, the car is faster.”

According to motorsport.com, Tsunoda was then pulled out by the team’s public relations officer because the conversation was getting too casual.

Lawson looked every bit a driver with the weight of the world on his shoulders when speaking to reporters after qualifying.

“It’s just a very small window,” Lawson said, describing the car’s narrow operating band, per Autosport. “It’s hard, you know — it’s hard to drive, to get it in that window.

“I’d like to say that with time that’ll come. I just don’t have time to do that, it’s something I need to get on top of.”

The second Red Bull seat has been cursed ever since Daniel Ricciardo departed the team, with Sergio Perez last year becoming the latest driver axed.

The Mexican driver was even paid out millions of dollars to terminate his contract early.

Perez was nowhere near Verstappen in both qualifying and championship points, and it was expected that his replacement would bridge the gap.

He hasn’t.

Originally published as ‘Can’t imagine’: Bonkers rumour rocks Aussie, Formula 1 grid