Max Verstappen has openly criticized Red Bull for making what he believes was a rushed decision to demote Liam Lawson after only two races in the 2025 Formula 1 season. The reigning champion said he did not support the move at the time, stressing that such a short window was unfair for a driver trying to establish himself at the top level.
Lawson had been promoted to the main Red Bull team as Sergio Perez’s replacement following just 11 races with Racing Bulls. While his earlier performances earned him the call-up, his transition proved difficult, with early struggles putting him under immediate pressure in one of the sport’s most demanding seats.
His debut weekend in Melbourne ended badly, as Lawson was eliminated in Q1 and later crashed out of the race. Matters worsened in Shanghai, where he qualified last for both the sprint and the main race, failing to score any points and compounding Red Bull’s concerns.
Those results led Red Bull to make a swift change, replacing Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda. The switch meant Tsunoda became Verstappen’s fifth team-mate since Daniel Ricciardo left the team in 2018, underlining the ongoing challenge Red Bull faces in finding a stable second driver.
Speaking to Viaplay, Verstappen said two races were nowhere near enough to judge a driver’s potential at a top team. He emphasized that Lawson had performed well at Racing Bulls and deserved more time, adding that the situation highlighted just how difficult the environment is alongside Red Bull’s lead driver.
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