Liam Lawson chosen to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull
Red Bull announced on Thursday that Liam Lawson will replace Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen’s teammate next season. The New Zealander was chosen over RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda to partner the four-time champion, less than 24 hours after Perez’s exit had been confirmed.
Lawson will go into his first full season with the works team despite having only started eleven Grands Prix in the last two years. Although Lawson did not convincingly beat teammate Yuki Tsunoda over that period, Red Bull preferred him to the Japanese.
Lawson said, “ 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 [Horner], Helmut [Marko] 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!”
Lawson will be Verstappen’s fourth teammate since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure from the senior team in 2018. Perez like Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon in being dropped for failing to convince Red Bull their performances were an acceptable level for a second driver. Ricciardo was also dropped by RB and replaced by Lawson in October.
Lawson made his F1 debut at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix as a substitute for Ricciardo, who broke his hand in a crash in practice at Zandvoort. He scored a point for tenth place in only his third grand prix in Singapore before Ricciardo returned for the final four races of the season.
He had replaced Ricciardo for the final six races where he managed to out-qualify Tsunoda only twice since he returned, for the sprint races at the Sao Paulo and Qatar Grands Prix, and was on average seven hundredths slower over one lap.
But Red Bull have never been convinced that Tsunoda, who is at Racing Bulls at the behest of engine supplier Honda, had what it takes to be a suitable driver for the senior team. His day in a Red Bull at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi did not change their minds.
Lawson’s combative drives in Austin and Mexico City appears to have convinced Red Bull he is worth a chance against Verstappen. His other points finish was another ninth place, after qualifying fifth, for the wet Sao Paulo Grand Prix – two places behind Tsunoda over both one lap and the race distance.
His replacement at RB, which will become Racing Bulls next season is will be Isack Hadjar, who finished second in F2 this season
Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies said: “Isack’s journey to F1has been nothing short of outstanding. He has shown remarkable growth, with a series of impressive results in the junior single-seater ranks.
“He has the talent and drive necessary to compete at the highest level, and we have every confidence that he will adapt quickly and make a significant impact. I believe Isack and Yuki will make a great team.”
Hadjar said: “The journey from karting through the ranks in single-seaters, to now being in F1 is the moment I’ve been working towards my whole life, it is the dream.
“I feel like I’m stepping into a whole new universe, driving a much faster car and racing with the best drivers in the world. It’ll be a huge learning curve, but I’m ready to work hard and do the best I can for the team.”