Liam Lawson is on the brink of being replaced by after just two rounds of the new season. The Kiwi was promoted to partner this year after was shown the door last December.

But has floundered, failing to score a single point so far having qualified 18th in and then dead last for both the sprint and main races in . And Red Bull are poised to take action and remove the struggling 23-year-old from the firing line.

Mirror Sport understands is set to get the nod to race alongside Verstappen at his home race, the Japanese Grand Prix, on April 6. Lawson will return to sister squad to partner rookie Isack Hadjar.

Red Bull last night declined to comment further than saying there is nothing confirmed. That situation is expected to change in the coming days.

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The decision to promote Lawson, who had raced 11 times in F1 prior to the start of this season, over Tsunoda with his four years of experience in the sport was widely questioned when it was confirmed last December. Replacing him so early in the campaign will be seen as an admission by team principal that his outfit got it wrong.

The second seat alongside Verstappen remains one of Horner's biggest after years of failed appointments. Since left at the end of the 2018 season, only Perez has lasted for more than 18 months in what has been dubbed 'the toughest job in F1'.

replaced Ricciardo but was replaced mid-way through the 2019 campaign as he buckled under the pressure. only had a handful of races in F1 under his belt when he was promoted to take the Frenchman's place, but he too was moved on after the 2020 season.

Perez was signed as Red Bull looked away from their driver academy for a rare external appointment. He won five races over four seasons with the team but often tried too hard to prove he could beat Verstappen, and his form well and truly wilted last year after signing a contract extension.

The Mexican made it to the end of the year but had his contract terminated in December. Ricciardo, who had returned to try to win back his old seat alongside Verstappen, had already been shown the door and so they were left to choose between Lawson and Tsunoda for the role.

Horner and Red Bull's young driver chief went for Lawson, worried that Tsunoda's fiery temperament may cause problems alongside Verstappen. But they now have no choice but to give the Japanese his chance, having seemingly conceded that Lawson was the wrong choice.