“Lawson has only 11 GPs, but he is the driver we need” – Red Bull boss. Christian Horner on Red Bull's decision about Liam Lawson .

Liam Lawson promoted

The 2025 Red Bull will be a throwback to the old style, with two drivers raised in the Academy, alongside the usual clear distinction between first and second drivers. This distinction, which Sergio Perez struggled to accept at the end of 2020 and the start of 2021 (“I won’t be anyone’s second,” Checo said in one of his first interviews), ultimately succumbed to the realities on track.

Liam Lawson won’t make the same mistake, both because Verstappen is on a completely different level after four consecutive titles and because the 2002-born driver is still very new to Formula 1. His promotion to Red Bull after just 11 Grands Prix hasn’t convinced all observers, but team principal Christian Horner found these few appearances enough to recognize the New Zealander as the perfect second driver for 2025.

Christian Horner ’s words

“Liam is a product of our Academy. He’s a young talent we brought in six years ago and developed in the junior formulas, just as we did with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. And I believe we’re seeing in him the character and solidity necessary to handle the pressure of being Max’s teammate,” he told talkSPORT.

“He’s only raced 11 Grands Prix, but what he has shown in these races has impressed both us and the engineering staff,” he continued. “To make a comparison with football, you can’t play with two main strikers. You need strength and depth in your team. And I believe Liam can provide the strength and depth we need from an engineering and tactical perspective, because next year will be very challenging.”