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Lawson, who was handed Sergio Perez’s seat alongside Max Verstappen for Red Bull following the Mexican’s exit from the racing outfit, failed to impress at Melbourne and Shanghai and will be replaced by the experienced Yuki Tsunoda from the Japanese GP.
FILE – Red Bull driver Liam Lawson of New Zealand during the drivers portrait photo session ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake, File)
Kiwi Formula One driver Liam Lawson, who was sent back to Racing Bulls after two disappointing outings with Red Bull at the Australian and Chinese Grand Prix, revealed that he was taken aback by the decision to demote him.
Lawson, who was handed Sergio Perez’s seat alongside Max Verstappen for Red Bull following the Mexican’s exit from the racing outfit, failed to impress at Melbourne and Shanghai and will be replaced by the experienced Yuki Tsunoda from the Japanese GP.
“It was definitely a shock, honestly. It’s not something that I saw coming,” Lawson said.
“The discussions we were having as well, I think, weren’t really leaning in this direction, so it was definitely not something that I sort of expected,” the 23-year-old said.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner opined that the manufacturers seemed to have expected too much of the young New Zealand driver too soon in his career. Horner went on to add that as harsh as the decision might seem, it isn’t the end for the promising Kiwi.
“Of course, it’s horrible because you’re taking away someone’s dreams and aspirations, but sometimes you’ve got to be cruel to be kind, and I think that in this instance, this is not the end for Liam,” the RB team principal said.
“I was very clear with him, is that it’s a sample of two races. I think that we’ve asked too much of you too soon,” the 51-year-old said.
“We have to accept, I think we were asking too much of him too soon. And so this is for him to, again, nurture that talent that we know that he has, back in the Racing Bulls seat, whilst giving Yuki the opportunity and looking to make use of the experience that he has,” he added.
