Red Bull announce Sergio Perez's replacement for the 2025 F1 season

Red Bull has officially announced Sergio Perez's replacement for the 2025 F1 season, with Liam Lawson set to take the seat alongside Max Verstappen. The Kiwi driver was brought to RB mid-season to replace Daniel Ricciardo, as the Australian was unable to make an impression.

On Wednesday, December 18, Red Bull announced that Sergio Perez was going to leave the squad at the end of 2024. While there had been speculation about the Mexican's future in the team since 2023, there was also a dearth of options when it came to picking a new teammate for Max Verstappen.

In 2024, names like Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda were thrown in the mix, with the seat finally going to the Kiwi. In the team's press release, Lawson thanked Red Bull for the opportunity as he said,

"To be announced as an Oracle Red Bull Racing Driver is a lifelong dream for me, this is something I’ve wanted and worked towards since I was eight years old. It’s been an incredible journey so far. I want to say a massive thank you to the whole team at VCARB for their support, the last six races have played a huge part in my preparation for this next step."

Thanking the senior management, the 22-year-old added:

"I also want to thank, Christian, Helmut and the whole Red Bull family for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I am super excited to work alongside Max and learn from a World Champion, I have no doubt I will learn from his expertise. I can’t wait to get going!”

Liam Lawson has done a decent enough job with RB in the six races that he got an opportunity in. The driver was able to match the pace of teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who was another candidate in contention to replace Perez.

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Christian Horner gives his views on Red Bull's new signing

Red Bull boss Christian Horner commended Liam Lawson for the job he's done at RB despite the limited opportunities that he's had with the team. The team principal backed the driver to excel and rise to the opportunity of being next to Max Verstappen as he said,

“I’m delighted to announce that Liam Lawson will join the Team in 2025," Horner said. "Liam’s performances over the course of his two stints with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls have demonstrated that he’s not only capable of delivering strong results but that he’s also a real racer, not afraid to mix it with the best and come out on top."

Further expressing hope in the young Kiwi's potential to compete with his Dutch teammate, Horner added:

"His arrival continues the Team’s long history of promoting from within the Red Bull Junior Programme and he follows in the footsteps of championship and race-winning drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and of course, Max Verstappen. There’s no doubt that racing alongside Max, a four-time champion and undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers ever seen in F1, is a daunting task, but I’m sure Liam can rise to that challenge and deliver some outstanding results for us next year.”

By replacing Sergio Perez, Lawson joins the list of drivers including Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon who have gone up against the refined version of Max Verstappen in the same team as he is.