Liam Lawson will be the new teammate of Max Verstappen at Red Bull for the 2025 Formula 1 season. The announcement came a day after the team confirmed the departure of Sergio Pérez.
Previous Performance in AlphaTauri
The New Zealand driver joins the main team after two brief stints with AlphaTauri during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. In his 2023 debut, he temporarily replaced Daniel Ricciardo following an accident at the Dutch Grand Prix, participating in five races and securing a ninth-place finish in Singapore as his best result. In 2024, Lawson was called again, this time to permanently replace Ricciardo starting from the United States Grand Prix. During this period, he scored points twice, with ninth-place finishes in Austin and Brazil.
Although Lawson was outperformed in qualifying by Yuki Tsunoda and scored fewer points than his teammate, his technical input and mental focus caught the team's attention. Red Bull particularly valued his ability to compete against experienced drivers, as demonstrated in his duels with Fernando Alonso and Sergio Pérez.
Team's Perspective
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, highlighted Lawson's potential, emphasizing that his performance over the past two seasons proves his readiness to compete at the highest level. “Promoting Liam continues our tradition of developing talent from our junior program. We are confident he will rise to the challenge of competing alongside Max Verstappen,” said Horner.
Lawson's Reaction
The driver described his promotion as the fulfillment of a childhood dream. “I want to thank the entire Red Bull team for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. Working alongside Max Verstappen will be an invaluable experience,” he stated.
Upcoming Changes at AlphaTauri
With Lawson’s departure, Isack Hadjar, a prominent driver from Red Bull’s junior program, is expected to take his place at AlphaTauri. Hadjar finished as a Formula 2 title contender this year, making him a strong candidate to step up to Formula 1.
Lawson's Background and Career Highlights
From his early years in local single-seater competitions in New Zealand to his participation in international championships like Formula 2 and the Japanese Super Formula, Lawson has shown consistent progress. Some of his most notable achievements include:
- Formula First Manfeild Winter Series 2015: Runner-up.
- Toyota Racing Series 2019: Champion with five wins in 15 races.
- Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2021: Runner-up, with three victories.
- Japanese Super Formula 2023: Runner-up, with three wins.
Lawson’s move to Red Bull marks a significant step in his career and reinforces the team’s commitment to nurturing young talent internally.
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