Christian Horner commits to key Red Bull change to aid Yuki Tsunoda

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has committed to providing Yuki Tsunoda with a more "confidence-inspiring" set-up alongside Max Verstappen. 

Tsunoda was promoted to the senior Red Bull team in place of Liam Lawson after just two rounds of the 2025 season ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix after the Kiwi struggled to match four-time world champion Verstappen. 

Lawson is the latest driver on a long list of team-mates Verstappen has destroyed at Red Bull, including Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and latterly Sergio Perez. 

Albon has described how Verstappen's uber-sharp on-the-nose set-up to find performance can make a driver "tense up" as the drivers all struggled to match Verstappen's level, with Horner committing to giving Tsunoda a friendlier, if slower, set-up aboard the RB21.

"We have to provide a different set-up," Horner told Sky Sports F1 when asked if Tsunoda's driving style complimented Verstappen's. 

"Max's ability to extract lap time from the car is unique and we haven't seen another driver able to do that in the way Max is able to. 

"Therefore, you need to give a calmer car to the whoever is the partner driver, to give a more settled and predictable feel.

"That is not necessarily the quickest car, but it is definitely a more confidence-inspiring car for whichever driver [is in the second car]."

Tsunoda failed to bring home points from the race in Japan last weekend, crossing the line in 12th place.