Liam Lawson makes true feelings clear as axed Red Bull star in alarming admission

has admitted that his long-term F1 future is 'out of his control' after being demoted back into the squad ahead of the . The New Zealander was promoted to Red Bull over the winter to replace Sergio Perez but struggled significantly after making his dream move.

After failing to score points or exit Q1 during the first two rounds, Christian Horner made the decision to swap Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda. Now, Lawson must quickly come to terms with his new reality and rebuild his reputation. With a quick rookie team-mate in Isack Hadjar alongside him, the 23-year-old risks dropping from second to fourth in the Red Bull driver pecking order.

Lawson's long-term future within the Red Bull set-up is now unclear. Speaking at Suzuka, he said: "I think we know how Formula One is and how quickly things change. I mean, if I look back a year ago, I had no seat. I was here a year ago watching and wishing I was racing.

"Then I had the opportunity to race at the end of last year and the opportunity then to go to Red Bull Racing. So, a lot has happened in 12 months. So, for me, the main thing is being in a car, and I have the opportunity to prove I belong here and that's what I'll try and do.

"In terms of where my future is. I don't know and, for me, the only way I can control that is by driving fast. I guess that [a Red Bull return] is part of the conversation. I guess in a way that's great, but obviously I was already there starting the season and was focused on proving myself in the team at that point.

"So, look, whatever happens down the line is more or less out of my control. What I can control is the driving stuff to prove that. So, yeah, where the future goes, honestly, at this point, I'm not really thinking about it too much."

Lawson's struggles have left Tsunoda - the driver who replaced him - under immediate pressure to perform. Red Bull are already 42 points behind leaders McLaren in the Constructors' Championship, while Max Verstappen trails Lando Norris by eight heading into round three.

However, Tsunoda is ready for the challenge. "There's no guarantee that I'll be able to maximise my performance in this car just yet," he confessed. "However, since it's a top team, I believe that if I can extract the car's full potential, the opportunities will come. The key will be how well I can understand the car and maximise its performance within the limited time of FP1. Heading into the Japanese Grand Prix, my goal is to reach Q3 and secure a top 10 finish."