Video footage from a Red Bull Tokyo Drift event at the weekend appears to show Yuki Tsunoda giving Liam Lawson the cold shoulder in rather brutal fashion.
The pair were photographed alongside Arvid Lindblad, reserve driver Ayumu Iwasa, and several other talented racers including Hiroya Minowa and Mike Whiddett at the promotional gathering.
When the group shot wrapped up, Lawson briefly turned to admire a Red Bull car behind him.
Tsunoda, meanwhile, went around shaking hands and bidding farewell to those present – but when it came to his former teammate, he simply walked straight past.
Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson might not be the best of friends
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The Japanese driver acknowledged Lindblad with a quick goodbye before chatting with others and departing without ever appearing to recognise Lawson’s presence.
The snub comes against a backdrop of disappointment for the 25-year-old from Sagamihara.
Tsunoda’s 2025 campaign alongside Max Verstappen proved thoroughly underwhelming, with the four-time world champion completely dominating their partnership.
Verstappen beat him in every single qualifying session and race – a clean sweep of 22-0 and 20-0 respectively.
The Japanese driver never once posted a faster lap than his teammate during a grand prix, managing just 343 laps inside the top ten compared to Verstappen’s 1,221.
Yuki Tsunoda appeared to blank Liam Lawson after ignoring him and shaking everyone else’s hand
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His season yielded a mere 30 points with sixth place as his best finish, ultimately leading team principal Laurent Mekies to drop him from the 2026 lineup.
Tsunoda has since reflected on what might have been, telling F1.com that his 2025 campaign began brilliantly before his promotion to the senior team.
“In 2025, I had the best start of any season I was P5 in qualifying in Australia, and I was P6 in the Sprint in China,” he said.
He believes the Racing Bulls machinery suited him perfectly after three years of development input.
“I gave a lot of feedback, and how the car was made was mostly how I requested it to the team. It was a stunning car. If I’d stayed at Racing Bulls, it probably would have been my strongest season.”
Despite the setback, Tsunoda hasn’t given up on his Formula 1 dreams.
【記念撮影終了後】
ユウキはひと足先に別の現場へ🪽
🇯🇵普段は会えない日本の仲間達とは特にアツい挨拶でお別れ🔥✨#RedBull #翼をさずける pic.twitter.com/RMFUIwIjJm
— レッドブル モータースポーツ🏁 (@redbullmotorJP) March 25, 2026
He remains within the Red Bull family as their test and reserve driver, keeping one foot in the door while waiting for another shot.
The driver is well known for his fiery temperament and fierce competitive streak – traits that perhaps explain his apparent frostiness towards Lawson at the Tokyo event.
History shows that comebacks from reserve roles are certainly possible, especially when staying connected to a top team.
But with fresh talent constantly emerging and precious few seats available, Tsunoda knows his window won’t stay open forever.
