Red Bull Promotes Liam Lawson Alongside Max Verstappen For 2025

Red Bull Racing has confirmed Liam Lawson will join Max Verstappen for the 2024 Formula 1 season.

The 21-year-old New Zealander’s promotion comes after showcasing his talent during two separate stints with AlphaTauri over the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Lawson's promotion comes at the expense of Sergio Perez who had been with the team since 2021. Perez is still under contract for 2025 and is expected to help with promotional duties and could serve as a reserve driver for next season.

Lawson stepped into AlphaTauri/RB for five races covering for Daniel Ricciardo following a wrist injury at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix and impressed with consistent performances, including a best finish of ninth in Singapore. This year, he replaced Ricciardo permanently from the United States Grand Prix.

Despite being outqualified by teammate Yuki Tsunoda during their time together, Lawson’s technical feedback and mental attitude convinced Red Bull of his potential. His on-track battles, including a robust defense against Fernando Alonso and competitive drives against Perez, demonstrated a readiness to star alongside Verstappen in a front-running car.

“Liam’s performances have shown he’s a real racer with the right mindset to challenge alongside Max." said Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner. "Red Bull has a long tradition of promoting talent from within, and we’re confident Liam will deliver outstanding results.”

Red Bull has yet to confirm Lawson’s replacement at AlphaTauri, with junior driver Isack Hadjar emerging as the frontrunner.

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