Lawson reveals radical Red Bull setup 'destroyed' his race before shock demotion

Liam Lawson has revealed that a radical experimental setup agreed upon with Red Bull ahead of the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix effectively "destroyed" his race and preceded his shock demotion by just 24 hours. The New Zealander, who lasted only two weekends in the senior team, says the team framed the extreme change as a long-term investment in his future—only to hand him his exit papers before he could use the data.

Why it matters:

Lawson's account exposes the ruthless reality of Red Bull's driver management and the impossible circumstances facing rookies in top-tier machinery. With almost no pre-season preparation and a car that even Max Verstappen struggled to tame, his brief tenure highlights how limited opportunity and internal politics can derail a driver before their career gains momentum.

The details:

• No preparation: Lawson entered his 2025 Red Bull debut with minimal testing—just half a day in Jerez and a compromised Bahrain pre-season—before tackling two new circuits in Australia and China.
• Melbourne misery: An engine issue in FP3 robbed him of soft-tyre running before qualifying, contributing to a Q1 exit and a back-of-the-grid start littered with uncharacteristic mistakes.
• The China gamble: Ahead of Shanghai, Red Bull proposed a setup change Lawson describes as "a normal change times ten," starting from the pit lane to find a direction for the troublesome RB21. He agreed after the team pitched it as critical to his future success.
• The fallout: The experiment killed the fronts and made the car almost undrivable. Lawson flew back to the UK for simulator work, then received a Monday call informing him he was being swapped for Yuki Tsunoda.

What's next:

The sting of Red Bull's revolving door has only sharpened Lawson's resolve. Now thriving back at Racing Bulls, where he sits 10th in the 2026 standings with points in five of seven races, the Kiwi is rebuilding his reputation race by race. His consistent performances suggest the senior team pulled the trigger too soon, though a second shot at Red Bull looks increasingly unlikely as he cements his value elsewhere.