Breaking: Red Bull to swap Tsunoda for Hadjar at first Japanese GP pit stop

Here’s TopGear.com’s roving correspondent, Cory Spondent, with his mostly incorrect exclusives from the world of motoring

Red Bull is considering swapping out Yuki Tsunoda with Isack Hadjar at the first pit stop at this weekend’s Japanese GP if he does not perform as expected, insiders have revealed.

Following Liam Lawson’s difficult start to the season and subsequent demotion back to the junior outfit after just two races, Yuki Tsunoda will be given a small window of opportunity to prove his worth alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

However, should Tsunoda’s pace disappoint, Hadjar will be parachuted in at the first round of pit stops and given five laps to respond with lightning pace.

“This is all part of a reasonable, structured and sensible plan to develop our junior drivers,” an insider said. “Nothing can better depict Formula One’s cutthroat approach than by swapping out a promising, contracted driver mid-way through the race and crushing his spirit.

“What do they want, half a season to get to grips with an unwieldy, recalcitrant and unbalanced car designed around the genius of one generational talent? Think of all the promising F2 careers we could have churned through by the summer break.

“No. The second Red Bull seat is hungry. It needs feeding. We must throw it fresh meat at every race,” the insider added, while laughing nervously and backing away slowly.

Should Hadjar also fail to compete with Verstappen’s pace, team bosses will simply go through racers in every Formula past and present up to and including ageing British Touring Car champions.

“Second Red Bull seat scary, you say? I’ve swapped paint with a Vauxhall Cavalier on its doorhandles and lived through the Nineties, mate. Nothing scares me,” a retired BTCC champion remarked.