In a shocking turn of events, Liam Lawson, the promising young talent, has confessed that being demoted from the Red Bull senior Formula 1 team took him completely by surprise. The decision came after a tumultuous start to the 2025 season, with Lawson facing challenges at the races in Australia and China.
After only two races into the season, Red Bull made the bold move to drop Lawson from the main team, replacing him with Yuki Tsunoda alongside the formidable Max Verstappen. Lawson, speaking out for the first time since the demotion, expressed his disbelief, stating, “It was definitely a shock, honestly. It’s not something that I saw coming.”
The 23-year-old driver highlighted his rocky start to the season, citing difficulties during pre-season testing and the initial races. Despite feeling unprepared, Lawson remains determined to make the most of his new opportunity with the Racing Bulls team, where he will pilot the VCARB-02, a car reportedly “easier to drive” than the RB21, as noted by Helmut Marko.
Red Bull’s decision was met with mixed reactions, with team principal Christian Horner emphasizing the need for a more experienced driver like Tsunoda to aid in the development of the RB21. While Horner expressed the team’s duty of care towards Lawson, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko openly labeled Lawson’s initial recruitment a “mistake.”
However, Marko has since clarified that Lawson’s move is not a demotion and highlighted the Racing Bulls VCARB-02 as a more user-friendly car. With a point to prove, Lawson is eager to showcase his skills and resilience at the midfield-focused Racing Bulls team, aiming to bounce back from the setback at Red Bull’s main squad.
As Lawson navigates this unexpected career shift, the motorsport world eagerly awaits to see how the talented driver will rise to the challenge and carve out a new path in the fiercely competitive realm of Formula 1.
