Liam Lawson's drive with Red Bull has come to a crashing halt – before it ever really got going.
The 23-year-old Kiwi driver has been dropped from the Red Bull Racing team after just two races.
The team confirmed overnight that Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda will be promoted to partner Max Verstappen for the rest of the season starting at next week’s Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka.
'A purely sporting decision' - see more coverage of Lawson's demotion on TVNZ+
Lawson will now race for Red Bull's sister team, Racing Bulls, for the remainder of the season.
It's a brutal blow for the young driver, who was handed the opportunity of a lifetime this year – making his long-awaited debut with Red Bull. But after a tough start to 2025, the pressure quickly mounted as he battled with the difficult RB21 car.
Lawson failed to finish the season opener in Melbourne, crashing out in wet conditions. In China, he qualified last (P20) and finished 12th in the race.
Speculation around his future began swirling earlier this week, after Dutch media leaked Red Bull's intentions.
It's understood a key meeting was held in Dubai over the week — where engine supplier Honda played a major role in the decision. Sources suggest Honda put forward a significant financial offer to secure Tsunoda a seat with the top team.
Tsunoda, who has spent the last four seasons with Red Bull’s sister outfit, now becomes Verstappen's sixth teammate in 10 years with Red Bull.
He would make his Red Bull Racing debut in front of a home crowd at Suzuka – in what was set to be one of the most high-pressure weekends of his career.
In a statement, Red Bull Racing chief executive Christian Horner said it had been "difficult" to see Lawson struggle during the first two races, calling the decision to switch "a purely sporting decision".
"We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a Team he knows very well."
Horner said Tsunoda's experience would prove "highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car'.
"We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki's experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car. We welcome him to the Team and are looking forward to seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21."
Motorsport journalist Will Buxton called Red Bull's talk of duty of care as "laughable".
"You either believe in the driver you’ve signed and give them support or you don’t. They’ve played fast and loose with driver careers for decades but this is a new low. 2 races is insane. Good luck Yuki. You’re gonna need it."
And Verstappen himself 'liked' an Instagram post by former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde, who criticised Red Bull.
"I’m getting a bit tired of all the comments that F1 is the toughest sport in terms of performances and when you’re underdeliver you’ve gotta face the consequences," van der Garde wrote.
"Yes, you gotta perform. Yes, the pressure is insane. But in my opinion this comes closer to bullying or a panic move than actual high athlete achievements. They made a decision - fully aware - gave Liam two races only to crush his spirit. Don’t forget the dedication, hard work and success Liam has put in his career so far to achieve the level where he is now."
Second seat difficulties
The issues around the second Red Bull seat began when Daniel Ricciardo left the team for Renault in 2018 as Verstappen’s dominance over the field grew.
French driver Pierre Gasly stepped up from Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls) and was the first on a revolving list of drivers to fill the spot.
Gasly lasted 12 races at the Milton Keynes-based team and struggled to keep up with Verstappen, scoring 63 points without a podium. His Dutch teammate, meanwhile, scored 181 points, two race wins, five podium finishes, and one pole position. Gasly was demoted back down to Toro Rosso and secured his maiden win the following season. Then-rookie Thai-British driver Alex Albon replaced Gasly.
Albon was initially successful at Red Bull, consistently finishing within the points and, at times, setting similar speeds to Verstappen. He scored 76 points across nine races, compared to 97 for Verstappen, and was awarded Rookie of the Year.
He re-signed with the team for 2020, but had a much more challenging year. While he managed to get on the podium twice, the gulf in results between him and Verstappen continued to grow. Albon scored 105 points compared to Verstappen’s 214 in the Covid-shortened season.
Albon was demoted to reserve driver at the end of the season to make way for Mexico’s Sergio Perez, who had put on a clinic at that year’s Sakhir Grand Prix for Racing Point, managing to move up from 18th to first. Albon moved to Williams, where he has flourished and is one of the most respected drivers on the grid.
Perez’s time at Red Bull was largely successful. He won five races with the team and finished the 2021 season in 4th, the 2022 season in 3rd, and the 2023 in second.
Perez proved vital to Verstappen’s dominance and was nicknamed the “Mexican Minister of Defence” for his team-oriented attitude towards racing.
For the first six races of the 2024 season, Perez managed to secure similar results to the previous year, but he entered a slump of results after the Miami Grand Prix, failing to finish in the top five for the remainder of the season. He would fail to score points in several races and had a string of DNFs, finishing the season in eighth — not enough to help Red Bull retain its Constructors Championship.
He was dropped at the end of the season and replaced by Lawson, who has now himself been moved on.
- Additional reporting by Jack Horsnell
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