Lawson confirmed as Red Bull's Pérez replacement for 2025 Formula 1 season
Red Bull Racing has officially confirmed that Liam Lawson will replace Sergio Pérez as Max Verstappen's teammate beginning in the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The announcement of Pérez's exit came on Wednesday following a challenging season where, despite Verstappen securing his fourth consecutive world title, Red Bull lost the constructors' championship.
Liam Lawson, 22, who has been part of Red Bull's junior program since 2019, made his debut for Scuderia AlphaTauri at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, stepping in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo. The New Zealander’s promotion comes after he impressed the team during his limited appearances in the latter part of the 2023 season.
In a press release, Lawson expressed his excitement about joining Oracle Red Bull Racing: "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!"
Christian Horner, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, expressed confidence in his decision to promote Lawson: "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."
Horner continued by emphasizing the team's tradition of promoting talent from within their own junior program: "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."
With Lawson stepping up to partner with Verstappen, Red Bull Racing looks set to tackle the 2025 season with a promising mix of youth and experience, aiming to reclaim their position at the top of the constructors' standings.
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