Racing Bulls' heart-melting gesture for Liam Lawson goes viral

The F1 paddock was stunned by Red Bull's decision to swap Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda in the senior team after just two races. While getting sacked so early in the season would have affected the New Zealander, Racing Bulls made sure that Lawson would feel welcomed at the junior outfit and made a heartwarming gesture for him ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Lawson got the call-up to Racing Bulls last year after Daniel Ricciardo was sacked by Red Bull senior figures, and the Kiwi was seemingly given a chance to audition for the 2025 Red Bull seat. His initial performances were able to convince Red Bull leadership that the 23-year-old was up for the job at one of the top F1 teams after just 11 race starts.

However, his start to the 2025 campaign was dismal. At the rain-affected Australian Grand Prix, he was one of the full-time rookies who retired from the race due to a self-inflicted mistake. He was then given a chance to redeem himself at the Chinese Grand Prix but was unable to score any points throughout the Sprint race weekend.

Witnessing his performance, Red Bull made a late switchback and swapped him with Yuki Tsunoda. With the paddock suggesting that this late call would have affected Liam Lawson's confidence, RB made sure that the young driver felt welcomed within the team and readied a "we missed you" pit board at the entrance of the Japanese GP paddock:

The Austrian giant is known to make driver changes in a rushed manner, which might open up a door for Lawson later down the line.

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Liam Lawson opens up on his chances of getting back in the Red Bull seat

Liam Lawson at the F1 Grand Prix Of China - Source: Getty

Subsequently, when this question was asked during the media day, Liam Lawson revealed how he was focusing on building himself back again and not thinking about getting back to the senior outfit from the get-go, as he said (via Formula 1):

"I think we know how Formula 1 is and how quickly things change. If I look back a year ago, I had no seat – I was here a year ago watching and wishing I was racing. Then I had the opportunity to race in the last year and the opportunity then to go to Red Bull Racing, so a lot has happened in 12 months."

“For me the main thing is being in a car – I have the opportunity to prove I belong here and that’s what I’ll try and do, and that’s what I do every single time I get in the car and that’s what I’ll be doing this weekend. Things change very quickly in terms of where my future is – I don’t know, and for me the only way I can control that is by driving fast."

The Japanese Grand Prix will be the first chance for Liam Lawson to showcase his abilities since his demotion. He has vast experience driving around the Suzuka Circuit, owing to his Super Formula career, and even beat Tsunoda in his first outing as teammates in F1 in 2023 around the fabled track.