Liam Lawson has broken his silence by releasing an emotional statement on social media after Red Bull confirmed he had lost his seat after just two races on Thursday. Red Bull have replaced Lawson with Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda, sending him to their sister team to take the Japanese driver’s place alongside Isack Hadjar.
Team principal Christian Horner selected the 23-year-old over Tsunoda to replace Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen’s new team-mate at the end of 2024. But it was a risk, considering Lawson had just 11 F1 race weekends under his belt, and he struggled to get to grips with the RB21 at the start of the season. The New Zealander didn’t progress past any of his first three qualifying sessions, including one in the Sprint format, and crashed out in the Australian Grand Prix.
Lawson had already been lapped as he faltered in finding race pace in Melbourne before a P16 finish in the Chinese Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, Verstappen finished the first three races of the year in P2, P3 and P4, accumulating all of Red Bull’s 36 points in the Constructors’ Championship.
Tsunoda has achieved three points so far in 2025 and will now have a chance to cement his spot alongside Verstappen after four years with Red Bull’s second team.
Hours after confirmation of Lawson’s demotion, he broke his silence with an emotional message on Instagram, complemented by touching images showcasing his childhood dream becoming reality.
He wrote: “Being a @redbullracing driver has been my dream since I was a kid, it’s what I’ve worked towards my whole life.
“It’s tough, but I’m grateful for everything that’s brought me to this point. To every one of you who’s stood by me, thank you for all the support. It means the world.
“Thank you, @visacashapprb, for the warm welcome. I’m excited and ready to go to work at one of my favourite places.”
Tsunoda also took to Instagram with a more brief reaction to the news, captioning a first look in his Red Bull attire: “Ready for the challenge ahead.”
Horner claimed it was a “sporting decision” and that Red Bull have “a duty of care to protect and develop Liam.”
“It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races, and as a result, we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch,” the Red Bull boss explained.
He added: “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.
“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.”
