Formula 1: Drive to Survive

I've got a lot of understeer.

Liam Lawson's out of the Grand Prix.

Sorry, guys.

I just need more time.

Liam Lawson takes that 12th place.

Oh my God, man.

This is bad news for Red Bull.

In this business, to succeed, sometimes you've got to take action.

Liam Lawson has been fired from Red Bull

and demoted back to junior team Racing Bulls.

Are you kidding me? Two races?!

I don't see how it's anything

other than a huge embarrassment for Red Bull.

Um, right. Shall we do this shirt change?

Nah, it's all right, mate. It's all right.

It's a total farce.

Two races?

I've never seen anything like it in Formula 1.

The pressure is just ramped on that team.

I mean, everybody's got an opinion,

but... do we listen?

No.

The wheels are coming off at Red Bull.

Can Christian turn it around?

Or is he out of time?

- Okay, so hello is... - Konnichiwa.

Gotta do that. That's what people love.

When you're warming up, like, "Konnichiwa!"

And then you... And then "Konnichiwa!"

Like that. Give me the big'un.

- Hello. - Hey.

Konnichiwa!

Konnichiwa!

- Konnichiwa! - Konnichiwa!

Konnichiwa!

Konnichiwa!

Hey. How are you?

- Good. You? - Very good.

How's the storm?

Yeah, so far okay.

- I don't mean the wind. - Yeah.

- Hello. - You okay?

I'm okay.

- Let's go straight. - Okay.

Maybe they feel like I wasn't ready for it.

And obviously, they made the decision, and that's obviously their opinion. Um...

From my side, I was ready. I just didn't have enough time.

I was pretty disappointed.

For it to all be sort of decided in two races didn't feel right.

Have you spoken to Max about the decision?

Be honest.

Uh, he... He didn't agree with it. Um...

But at the end of the day, it wasn't up to him.

- Hi. - Hello.

Hello. How's it going?

- Hi there. - Come on in.

- How's it going? - How are ya?

Yeah, obviously telling any driver that there's gonna be a change

and you're taking him out of the seat is always gonna be difficult

and not the news they wanna hear.

Three, two, one, action.

Okay, great. And we'll get another one of those with the smile.

This isn't a popularity contest. It's Formula 1.

But you can argue it was a hugely popular decision in Japan.

Because within the pool of drivers that we have...

there is an obvious candidate.

Yuki! Yuki!

Ooh!

Nice shirt.

New shirt, new team, you know.

This material, I think, makes me quite bigger.

Rookie Tsunoda on a flying lap.

Yuki Tsunoda is fast.

Another good overtake from Yuki Tsunoda.

That was absolutely brilliant!

He's also one of the most wild.

Let's fucking go, man.

He's got a sense of humor that is on the edge sometimes.

Oh no!

You're so kind. Thank you. Thank you very, very much.

Really appreciate it.

Are you gonna bring it in for me as well? Yeah, thanks, thanks.

Are you serious?

Yuki, gotta pick a horse for the sweepstake.

- Big race in England. - What is this?

- Pick a horse, and then it's a sweepstake. - Grand National, mate.

Who have you got?

- Ooh, 33-1. - It's 33 to 1.

Tell you what, if you qualify in the top ten today,

you can ride one of my horses.

Really? You serious?

- Yeah, yeah. - Okay.

Okay, I've got you.

Who is it?

Monbeg Genius.

- Monbeg Genius. - Yeah, it's not bad.

- Good luck. - Okay, Yuki, 17th.

- Okay. - Have fun.

Oh, radio. Cheeky.

Switching to Red Bull at my home Grand Prix,

it's a dream come true.

Me, I'm special.

You're a special guy how you keep telling me that.

Especially after four years in VCARB.

Did you just flip off VCARB?

I'm sure that how the people look at me now is a bit different.

Did you text Liam after you got the news, or speak to him?

No.

His arse? Yeah, it's so big. It's so funny.

You like my arse?

Especially with this pose.

Hey, I've got bigger balls, I guess.

I don't know about that one, but...

Yeah.

There he is. Konnichiwa.

- How are you? You all right? - I'm okay. Yeah.

- How are things? - Yeah, not bad.

I'll probably have to throw the... the...

Helmut on the BBC earlier said Max isn't happy, you know.

- Max isn't what? - He's not happy with...

Well, you know, he's... I don't know what he meant by that.

I think there's a lot of negativity around Max is unhappy. Max is...

- I... He... Yeah. - He's...

Like any racing driver, they're always grumpy when they're not winning.

Red Bull lost the Constructors' Championship in 2024.

That is the most important championship.

That's where the prize fund money comes from

that keeps that team on the racetrack.

They lost because they only had one car scoring points.

Christian needs someone in that second seat

alongside Max Verstappen

that can score points consistently,

or senior figures at Red Bull won't be happy.

Christian is answerable to a board in Austria.

And that's run by Oliver Mintzlaff.

With Helmut Marko as his advisor.

I guess the other question is what happens if it doesn't work with Yuki?

Look, I've got a feeling that Yuki'll... I think he... he... he'll do all right.

He'll do all right. He seems to be...

Yuki! Yuki! Yuki! Yuki! Yuki! Yuki! Yuki! Yuki!

Yeah, you know what to do.

Yep.

First race in Red Bull Racing.

In front of the Japanese fans.

They are very, very passionate.

There's an expectation from the team to score points.

Obviously, I have pressure that I have to prove that.

Okay, smile. You're on Netflix.

Yuki's got to showcase that he's the right caliber

to be alongside Max this year.

Right, let's see what we've got.

Max Verstappen starting on pole

with the fastest ever lap we've seen here.

Radio check.

Loud and clear.

Yuki Tsunoda starts 14th.

Pressure on Yuki to finish in the top ten and score points in that second Red Bull.

Yuki! Yuki! Yuki!

Yuki, release was good.

Copy.

It's a good pace, Max. Keep it up. Norris behind.

Lando, just keep putting Max under pressure.

Confirm.

Yuki, car ahead, Fernando. Let's get him.

Copy.

Watch out Tsunoda.

Okay.

Yeah, we are too slow on the straight, man.

Way too slow.

Yuki, push. Everything you've got here.

That worked out all right. Right behind him now.

Come on, boy.

Tight with Tsunoda.

It's hard to overtake.

I felt like the grip felt quite poor.

Fuck.

Oh, what's he doing?

It's not gone well for Yuki Tsunoda,

failing to make an impact on his debut for Red Bull.

Can Verstappen hold on to first place?

Max, Norris behind.

He's picked up his pace a little bit.

Lando, this is the last lap.

Opportunity.

Yeah, I think so.

Yeah, I can't get any closer.

Max Verstappen wins the Japanese Grand Prix!

Whoa! Ha!

Thank you, guys. Wow.

Oh, mate, what an unbelievable weekend.

Yuki, yeah, I'm afraid that's us, P12.

P12.

That was a tough day today.

Sorry, guys.

Yeah, I think the pace was there, but...

So finishing order, Max, P1.

Yeah, congrats. Congrats, guys.

Sorry we couldn't get you points for your home race.

Not now.

Yeah, not a great race.