Oracle Red Bull has officially confirmed the final driver in their lineup for the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship - NZ’s own Liam Lawson.
He will partner with four-time World Champion and legend Max Verstappen.
Lawson has been part of the Red Bull Junior Programme since 2019 and will make the move to a full-time F1 seat with the team.
Lawson's journey to F1 has been bloody impressive, to say the least. After many successes in the junior formulas, he made his F1 debut with Scuderia AlphaTauri at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, stepping in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo.
In just his second race, Lawson scored his first championship points at the Singapore Grand Prix. He went on to complete five races for AlphaTauri that season.
This year, Lawson took on the Reserve Driver role with both Oracle Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri. He also had a successful return to racing with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, securing points at the United States Grand Prix.
And now, at just 22 years old, Lawson’s taking the next step in his career with his full-time seat with Oracle Red Bull for the 2025 season.
He describes the move as “a lifelong dream.”
“I’ve wanted and worked towards since I was eight years old,” Lawson said. “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.”
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!
“I also want to thank, Christian, Helmut and the whole Red Bull family for believing in me and giving me this opportunity,” he added.
Christian Horner, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, expressed his confidence in Lawson, saying: “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."
“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,” he said.
We’re bloody excited to see what the Kiwi driver does in this next season. On ya Lawson.
