Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, has made his feelings clear after his son’s now-former teammate Liam Lawson was demoted to Racing Bulls and replaced by Yuki Tsunoda.
Lawson, 23, replaced Sergio Perez at Red Bull ahead of the 2025 F1 season but endured a torrid start at the manufacturer when he crashed out of the campaign’s opening race in Melbourne, Australia before finishing 12th at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai last Sunday.
As a result, his future was under scrutiny with then-Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda the favourite to replace him, which proved to be the case as Red Bull released a statement on Thursday confirming the switch.
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"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," team principal and CEO Christian Horner explained.
"We came into the 2025 season, with two ambitions, to retain the World Drivers' Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors' title and this is a purely sporting decision.
“We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, 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.”
Later in the evening, Lawson himself released a statement of his own explaining how he had realised his “dream” of racing for Red Bull before adding how he was “excited” to join Racing Bulls.
Current F1 champion Verstappen, 27, will have to get used to a new teammate and his father Jos – a former F1 driver – has also had his say on the decision to demote Lawson.
Racing Bulls posted a statement confirming Lawson’s move, with Jos making a comment underneath, which read: “I really hope you go do a fantastic job. He deserves to be in F1.”
The F1 season will resume on April 6 at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan with Lawson, no doubt, hoping to improve his record.
Topics: Formula 1, Liam Lawson, Max Verstappen
Luke Davies