Liam Lawson admitted that losing the chance to drive for Red Bull was “tough,” but he expressed gratitude to his supporters as he rejoined Racing Bulls.
Lawson is returning to Red Bull`s junior team for the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix. This follows Yuki Tsunoda taking his place at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen after just two races into the new Formula 1 season.
In his first public statement since the driver change, Lawson, 23, shared on Instagram: “Being a Red Bull Racing driver has been my dream since childhood, and I`ve dedicated my life to it.”
“It`s a difficult situation, but I appreciate everything that has led me here. To everyone who has supported me, thank you for the incredible support.”
“Thank you to Visa Cash App Racing Bulls for the warm welcome back. I’m excited to get to work at one of my favorite tracks, Japan.”
Lawson`s Instagram post included childhood photos: one from a school presentation featuring him next to a book about a racer, and another a drawing of his dream to be an F1 driver in Red Bull colors.
With his Red Bull dream on hold, Lawson returns to Racing Bulls, where he showed promise in 11 races in 2023 and 2024.
Unlike the previous races in Australia and China, Lawson has prior experience at the Suzuka circuit in Japan. He competed there in Japanese Super Formula in 2023 and also in the Japanese Grand Prix as a stand-in driver for Racing Bulls.
Marko: Lawson`s Confidence Dropped, Red Bull Admits `Mistake`
Helmut Marko, Red Bull`s motorsport advisor, explained the driver swap, stating Lawson`s confidence decreased after difficult weekends in Australia and China.
“In Australia, Liam had a turbo failure in practice, preventing him from completing a lap. This increased pressure, leading to mistakes that continued in China,” Marko wrote.
“We needed to act before Liam lost all confidence. His career isn`t over; he`s back with Racing Bulls, a team capable of scoring points with an easier car to drive, where he won`t be directly compared to Max Verstappen.”
Marko added that the Red Bull car is challenging to drive with a narrow optimal range, even for experienced drivers like Sergio Perez. He noted that being slightly behind competitors further complicates things.
“Overall, Lawson’s confidence declined visibly,” Marko concluded.
The change occurred just 99 days after Red Bull chose Lawson over Tsunoda, despite Lawson`s limited F1 experience.
Marko explained Tsunoda was initially overlooked due to past inconsistency but has since improved significantly, demonstrating strong performances in the first two races of 2025, mirroring Lawson`s previous strengths.
Regarding Verstappen`s reaction, Marko mentioned a meeting to discuss car development and improvements to regain a winning edge.
In a BBC interview, Marko admitted Red Bull made a “mistake” in their initial driver decision. He stated Tsunoda has the season to prove himself, while Lawson is expected to perform well back at Racing Bulls.
Performance Clauses for Top Drivers
Marko emphasized Red Bull`s focus on improving their car to help Verstappen secure a fifth consecutive title.
Addressing speculation about Verstappen`s future, Marko stated: “There`s huge motivation for a fifth title. We know that if we don`t deliver for Max, top drivers have performance clauses. But our aim is to win this title.”
Formula 1 is heading to the Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix on April 4-6.
