Four-time world champion Max Verstappen expressed his disapproval of Red Bull’s choice to remove his previous colleague, Liam Lawson, after only two events in the 2025 Formula 1 championship.
Lawson had stepped into Sergio Perez’s position at the Austrian team earlier in the year, having competed in only 11 grand prix races with their affiliated team, Racing Bulls. However, he was unable to match the performance levels that had initially led to the New Zealander’s advancement.
During his inaugural race in Melbourne, the 23-year-old driver was eliminated in Q1 and subsequently retired from the event due to an accident. He then failed to secure any points in Shanghai, having started from the back of the grid for both the sprint and the main grand prix.
This outcome led Red Bull to make a swift change, substituting Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda, a former teammate from Racing Bulls. Tsunoda thus became Verstappen’s fifth partner since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure in 2018.
Speaking to Viaplay, Verstappen, who has secured four world championships with Red Bull, remarked, “Two races for a team-mate, of course I didn’t agree with that at the time.”
He continued by stating, “Because ultimately, someone is giving up their chance…yes, then you’re ruining [that chance] at a top team. I have to say that Liam has done well at Racing Bulls.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Liam Lawson, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
“You could also say, ‘just leave it, I don’t care anymore’, but two races is far too early to make a decision. In the end, Yuki got in and that shows how difficult it was,” he further commented.
Nonetheless, Tsunoda’s performance was equally poor compared to Lawson’s, managing only 30 points over 22 events, which placed him 17th in the season standings. In contrast, Verstappen secured second place in the championship, finishing behind McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Red Bull has consistently faced issues with its second driver position ever since Ricciardo’s unexpected departure. Drivers such as Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Perez, Lawson, and Tsunoda have all struggled to perform at the same level as their exceptionally gifted teammate.
This factor partially explains Red Bull’s inability to secure the constructors’ championship in both 2021 and 2024, despite Verstappen claiming the drivers’ title. It also contributes to their fall to third place in this year’s championship standings, behind McLaren and Mercedes.
Conversely, McLaren, which achieved consecutive championship wins, adopts a contrasting philosophy to Red Bull. They provide identical support to both Norris and Oscar Piastri, even during their contest for the 2025 title.
Despite this, Verstappen maintains that Red Bull’s strategy is fundamentally sound, but it requires superior implementation with a competent second driver.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB21, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL39, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL39
Photo by: Clive Rose / Getty Images
The 28-year-old pilot further asserted, “If I were the team boss myself, I would always put a clear number one and two in place.”
He elaborated, “But of course, a number two who still scores enough points to compete for the constructors’ title. But a clear number one and two.”
The Dutch competitor holds optimism that the 2026 season will present a more favorable scenario once Isack Hadjar joins him as a teammate, following Hadjar’s impressive debut season for Racing Bulls, highlighted by a podium finish at Zandvoort.
In response to a query regarding the 21-year-old’s arrival at the commencement of the new regulatory period, Verstappen commented: “Yes, that’s very different, of course. Also a new car, new regulations, so in that respect, I think it’s the right time to step in.”
