Liam Lawson: "Naive to Think I'd Get Time to Adapt" at Red Bull

Liam Lawson believes he might have been naive to expect more time to adapt to the Red Bull team at the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Why it matters

Lawson's quick replacement by Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull highlights the immense pressure and rapid decision-making within top F1 teams, especially concerning the second driver's seat alongside a champion like Max Verstappen.

The context

Lawson was initially chosen to replace Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen's teammate for 2025. However, after just two race weekends in Australia and China – circuits he had never raced on before – Lawson was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

"It's tricky because when I look back at how it was for me, I was there two races on two tracks I'd never been to," Lawson told Sky Sports F1. "I look back and think that maybe I was naive to think that I would be given the time to adapt to it because I think that was really the approach going in. So it's really tough."

Lawson's perspective

Since Tsunoda took the Red Bull seat, he has scored nine points but faces significant pressure to match Verstappen's performance. Lawson expressed a degree of sympathy but noted the difference in their situations.

"I definitely feel sympathy for a driver that's struggling in that position because it's a very, very tough sport, and it's never nice to see somebody struggling in an environment," Lawson added. "But I think it's hard for me to relate, let's say, because I didn't even get to a track that I had driven before."

Lawson, speaking after his demotion to Racing Bulls (VCARB) was announced, admitted he was surprised by the timing.

"Obviously it’s very early in the season, and I was hoping to go to a track that I’ve raced before and have a clean weekend to have a chance like that," he explained. "The decision obviously was made when I was told, so although it was tough to hear, I had one or two days to think about it. Then I was in Faenza with VCARB starting preparations and seat fits, and then you’re basically just focused on the job."

What's next

Lawson has since returned to Racing Bulls, where he now races alongside Isack Hadjar. He scored his first points of 2025 with an eighth-place finish in Monaco and has accumulated 20 points, placing him 15th in the drivers' standings. Despite the Red Bull setback, Lawson remains focused on his F1 career with Racing Bulls.