Red Bull has confirmed Liam Lawson will drive for the team alongside World Champion Max Verstappen for the 2025 Formula season.
The 22-year-old New Zealander will replace Sergio Perez, whose departure from the team was announced earlier today.
“To be announced as an Oracle Red Bull Racing Driver is a lifelong dream for me, this is something I’ve wanted and worked towards since I was eight years old, said Lawson. “It’s been an incredible journey so far.
“I want to say a massive thank you to the whole team at VCARB for their support, the last six races have played a huge part 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 am super excited to work alongside Max and learn from a World Champion, I have no doubt I will learn from his expertise. I can’t wait to get going!”
Lawson was first signed as a junior driver by Red Bull in 2019 following his Toyota Racing Series title-winning campaign, before he went on to finish as the runner-up in the 2020 edition.
Following strong results in Formula 3, Formula 2, DTM, and Super Formula, he received his Formula 1 callup to replace and injured Daniel Ricciardo at Zandvoort in 2023.
He scored his first championship points in just his second outing at the Singapore Grand Prix and completed five races in all for the team.
After taking up his Reserve Driver role with both teams at the start of 2024, Liam returned to Grand Prix racing with Racing Bulls, with a points-scoring finish at this year’s United States Grand Prix. Now, after completing a particial season with VCARB, the 22-year-old takes the next step in his career with a seat at Oracle Red Bull Racing.
“I’m delighted to announce that Liam Lawson will join the Team in 2025,” said Team Principal Christian Horner.
“Liam’s performances over the course of his two stints with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls have demonstrated that he’s not only capable of delivering strong results but that he’s also a real racer, not afraid to mix it with the best and come out on top.
“His arrival continues the Team’s long history of promoting from within the Red Bull Junior Programme and he follows in the footsteps of championship and race-winning drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and of course, Max Verstappen.
“There’s no doubt that racing alongside Max, a four-time champion and undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers ever seen in F1, is a daunting task, but I’m sure Liam can rise to that challenge and deliver some outstanding results for us next year.”
Lawson also drew the praise of Racing Bulls Team Principal Laurent Mekies, who was delighted to see the Kiwi get the call-up to Red Bull.
“A huge congratulations to Liam!” he said in a statement shared by the team this evening.
“Everyone at VCARB is very proud to see Liam promoted to Oracle Red Bull Racing. Of course, we would have liked to have kept him a little longer, but one of our main missions here at VCARB is to be an incubator of talents for the wider Red Bull family, and seeing Liam taking the step up is a testimony to the grear work him and the team have done this year.
“We wish him all the best of luck, he’s going to be mega, and we can’t wait to see him on the track in 2025.”
Lawson’s promotion to Red Bull opens a seat at Racing Bulls, with junior driver Isack Hadjar touted as the likely replacement.
Header Image: Red Bull Content Pool
