Verstappen: Red Bull made a mistake by letting Lawson go in '25.
"You're jeopardizing that chance with a leading team."
Max Verstappen has stated that Red Bull Racing moved too hastily in letting go of Liam Lawson after only two races at the beginning of the 2025 season. "Two races for a teammate, I certainly didn't agree with that at the time," the four-time world champion expressed to Viaplay. Lawson, still a rookie, was elevated to the main team to succeed Sergio Perez but was swiftly returned to Racing Bulls due to his struggles in Australia and China. Verstappen elaborated: "Ultimately, someone is losing their chance. You're forfeiting that opportunity at a top team." He went on to say, "I must acknowledge that Liam has performed well at Racing Bulls. One could also say, 'Just move on, I don't care anymore,' but making a decision after just two races is premature. Ultimately, Yuki (Tsunoda) stepped in, which highlights how challenging it was." While Tsunoda has been completely removed, Lawson will continue with Racing Bulls in 2026 and has embraced the opportunity for a complete winter preparation. With Christian Horner and now Dr. Helmut Marko gone, Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff mentioned that Red Bull's F1 family is now well established regarding their driver lineup. "Two young drivers on the talent team," he noted, referring to Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad at Racing Bulls for 2026. "Isack Hadjar is getting an opportunity alongside Max," Mintzlaff added. "This aligns with Red Bull's strategy - we seek out the best talents for the best positions. Overall, I believe we've executed this quite well over the past 21 years."
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