May 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) during F1 qualifying for Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images
Red Bull has announced an exciting change within its driver lineup for the 2025 season. New Zealand's Liam Lawson will step in to replace Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen's teammate.
Lawson's rise to a full-time seat follows a challenging year for Red Bull, despite Verstappen clinching his fourth consecutive world title. The team surprisingly finished third in the constructors' championship, prompting calls for drastic change. Perez, while having been a vital contributor in earlier seasons, encountered unpredictable performance fluctuations in 2024. Aware of these dynamics, Red Bull concluded that a change was necessary, culminating in the selection of Lawson.
Born in New Zealand, Lawson, now 22, has been part of the Red Bull Junior Programme since 2019. The program is renowned for producing highly competent drivers for the Formula 1 circuit. Lawson made his F1 debut at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, filling in for Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri (now known as VCARB). His subsequent nine races in 2024 with VCARB, including a points-scoring finish at the United States Grand Prix, convinced the team of his potential.
In response to his appointment, Lawson commented:
"To be announced as an Oracle Red Bull Racing Driver is a lifelong dream for me, this is something I've wanted and worked towards since I was eight years old. It's been an incredible journey so far. I want to say a massive thank you to the whole team at VCARB for their support, the last six races have played a huge part in my preparation for this next step.
"I also want to thank, Christian, Helmut and the whole Red Bull family for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I am super excited to work alongside Max and learn from a World Champion, I have no doubt I will learn from his expertise. I can't wait to get going!"
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner also stated:
"I'm delighted to announce that Liam Lawson will join the Team in 2025. Liam's performances over the course of his two stints with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls have demonstrated that he's not only capable of delivering strong results but that he's also a real racer, not afraid to mix it with the best and come out on top.
"His arrival continues the Team's long history of promoting from within the Red Bull Junior Programme and he follows in the footsteps of championship and race-winning drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and of course, Max Verstappen. There's no doubt that racing alongside Max, a four-time champion and undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers ever seen in F1, is a daunting task, but I'm sure Liam can rise to that challenge and deliver some outstanding results for us next year."
This may cause some upset amongst fans who feel that Yuki Tsunoda, who is heading into his fifth season with VCARB, was more deserving of the Red Bull seat. At this stage it has not been confirmed who will take the seat next to Tsunoda next year.