Liam Lawson Calls Out Red Bull and Alpine Over 'Unfair' F1 Firings

Liam Lawson has called out Red Bull and Alpine for their treatment of young drivers, insisting neither he nor Jack Doohan were given a fair shot before being axed mid-season last year. While losing his childhood dream drive at Red Bull was devastating, the New Zealander is focusing on the fact that he at least remains on the Formula 1 grid.

Why it matters:

The rapid firings of Lawson and Doohan after just two and five races have reignited the debate over how much time rookies need to adapt to Formula 1. In a sport where teams invest millions developing talent only to pull the trigger after a handful of grands prix, Lawson's comments spotlight the intense pressure and shrinking patience that define the modern driver market.

The details:

• Lawson landed the Red Bull seat after a six-race audition with Racing Bulls in late 2024, but was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda just two grands prix into 2025 and sent back to the sister team.
• Doohan was confirmed as an Alpine driver in August 2024, but lost his seat to Franco Colapinto after five races without any fallback option.
• On the High Performance podcast, Lawson argued that no driver can be fairly judged in just two to five races in Formula 1, calling both situations deeply unfair.
• Red Bull's history of ruthless seat management is well-established, with Daniil Kvyat, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and Tsunoda all previously being axed mid-season to make way for a new face.
• Despite the turmoil, Lawson says he is now a "far better" and more resilient driver, acknowledging that navigating the intense external noise around his demotion was brutal but ultimately valuable.

What's next:

Now back at Racing Bulls, Lawson believes he is in the strongest position of his career to rebuild. With a second chance to establish himself away from the Red Bull spotlight, he will be determined to show that both Red Bull and Alpine made a grave mistake by not giving him or Doohan the time every young driver deserves.