Red Bull announces Liam Lawson as new driver alongside Max

Liam Lawson and Red Bull Racing, the wedding was a long time coming and today it was made official. The Milton Keynes team, less than 24 hours after announcing their separation from Sergio Perez with immediate effect, has revealed the name of the driver who will become the new teammate of 4-time world champion Max Verstappen.

No secrets, then. Motorsport.com had already revealed to you weeks ago that the New Zealander would become the second driver of the Austrian-British team who was multiple Formula 1 world champion.

But the official announcement arrived this morning, with Lawson following in the footsteps of several drivers who first moved to the junior team (Racing Bulls, in fact) and then landed where everything potentially becomes more beautiful and important, but also, if not above all, extremely more difficult, where the pressures increase dramatically and the comparison with a cannibal like Max Verstappen has almost always led to problems rather than advantages.

Lawson, 22, is a product of the Red Bull academy who took all the necessary steps to arrive at the team managed by Christian Horner. In Formula 1, to tell the truth, he hasn’t raced much yet, racing in some grand prix in 2023 in place of the injured Daniel Ricciardo (he made his debut in Zandvoort, at the Dutch Grand Prix) and the final part of the 2024 season, always replacing the Australian, dismissed due to his performances considered insufficient by the leaders of Milton Keynes.

11 races in Formula 1 to date, less than half a season, and 6 points overall thanks to the three points finishes achieved at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, the United States Grand Prix and the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix. The numbers speak for themselves and are laughable. But it is clear that Sergio Perez was no longer adequate to cover what, on several occasions, has been defined as “the most difficult role in the world” by Christian Horner and Helmut Marko.

For this reason Liam will have the opportunity to race alongside Verstappen, with the knowledge that he will certainly need time to adapt to the new reality, but not too much, considering the always famous need of Marko and of those who manage the reference team of Red Bull Group.

Furthermore, it is no secret that Lawson could be the perfect type of teammate for Verstappen: probably fast, but not enough to put him in difficulty during the course of the season in the fight for the world title (unless pleasant – for the public – surprises…).

“Being announced as an Oracle Red Bull Racing driver is a lifelong dream for me, something I have wanted and worked towards since the age of eight,” said Liam Lawson following Red Bull’s announcement. “It has been an incredible journey so far. I want to say a big thank you to the entire VCARB team for their support, the last six races have played a huge role 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’m excited to work alongside Max and learn from a world champion, I have no doubt that I will learn from his experience I can’t wait to get started!”.

These are the words of Red Bull Racing team principal, Christian Horner: “I am 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 shown that he does not only he is capable of achieving excellent results, but he is also a true driver, who is not afraid to mix with the best and come out on top.”

“His arrival continues the long history of promotions within the Red Bull Junior Program and follows in the footsteps of championship and race-winning drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and, of course, Max Verstappen. There is no doubt that racing alongside Max , four-time champion and undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers ever seen in F1, is a tall order, but I’m sure Liam will rise to the challenge and achieve outstanding results for us next year.”