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Topics: Formula 1, Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Christian Horner, Liam Lawson
John McDougall
Topics: Formula 1, Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Christian Horner, Liam Lawson
Red Bull are set to make a major decision on driver Liam Lawson's future in F1 following the sacking of Christian Horner.
The bombshell news that Horner had been removed as the F1 team's CEO and team principal emerged last week following the British Grand Prix weekend.
Horner had been with the Milton Keynes-based outfit and its team boss since it became Red Bull in 2005, after the Austrian drinks manufacturer took over the Jaguar team, and he had been in charge for every Grand Prix it has competed in.
Over the course of two decades, Horner oversaw Red Bull becoming a big force in F1 as it won eight Drivers' Championships through two dominant spells with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, as well as six Constructors' Championships.
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Verstappen clinched his fourth drivers' title last season, but it appears unlikely he will add a fifth crown this year due to already being 69 points behind current leader Oscar Piastri at the halfway point of the campaign.
Red Bull's competitiveness has declined over the past year and McLaren won the 2024 Constructors' Championship, while the team Horner oversaw ended up third.
And this season, McLaren look likely to retain their Constructors' Championship title, with Red Bull currently a distant fourth and 288 points behind the present leaders.
Laurent Mekies has moved over from Red Bull's second team, Racing Bulls, to fill the void that has been left by Horner.
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Lawson was demoted back to Racing Bulls after just two races at Red Bull earlier on this season, having originally been given the drive at the senior team in place of the underperforming Sergio Perez, who left at the end of 2024 despite having penned a deal until the end of 2026.
The New Zealander has since began to rebuild his career at Racing Bulls following his demotion from Red Bull, and has picked up 12 points.
Lawson was replaced as Verstappen's teammate by the experienced Yuki Tsunoda, but the Japanese driver has scored only seven points since moving to Red Bull and become the latest second driver to struggle alongside Verstappen.
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Since Daniel Ricciardo left Red Bull in 2018, drivers including Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Perez, Lawson and now Tsunoda have not been able to achieve the results which four-time world champion Verstappen has in the same car.
The F1 regulations will change for next season, with both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls due to use the organisation's first in house-produced engine made by Red Bull Powertrains, which is being supported by American car giant Ford.
There are question marks over several drivers' futures on the grid and where they will be driving for 2026, but it appears Lawson's future is in the process of being decided.
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According to the NZ Herald, it is now 'increasingly likely' that Lawson will remain driving for Racing Bulls for next year, and become the team's senior driver - sources have indicated to the publication.
The 23-year-old Kiwi is currently partnered at the junior Red Bull team by rookie Isack Hadjar, who is impressing in his first F1 season after scoring 21 points so far this campaign.