Liam Lawson has opened up about his early-season demotion from Red Bull Racing in 2025 and admitted he could have adapted to the team given more time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The New Zealand driver began his first full Formula 1 season this year but was moved down to Racing Bulls just two rounds in, a decision beyond his control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the setback, Lawson expressed regret over losing his Red Bull seat, even though he has secured a place on the 2026 grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Kiwi described the demotion as sudden, especially since he had just two races at unfamiliar tracks to prove his capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI would have liked to have thought that, with the right amount of time, I would have got my head around it, honestly,\u201d Lawson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTwo races were so short that I don\u2019t even really remember them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawson\u2019s teammate Isack Hadjar will be promoted to Red Bull, while Lawson remains at Racing Bulls for another season. His retention was unexpected given his performance compared to his rookie teammate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having certainty over his future has eased Lawson\u2019s mind, a contrast to the uncertainty he faced in previous seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s probably a bit more relief than anything right now,\u201d he admitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s also nice going into this weekend knowing that. I can\u2019t really remember the last time I had that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to be able to go into next year and spend the off-season with a proper plan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Red Bull\u2019s early swap affected not only Lawson but also Yuki Tsunoda, who lost his place on the 2026 grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tsunoda scored just 30 points this season, fewer than both Lawson and Hadjar at Racing Bulls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawson and Tsunoda have a long history, crossing paths in both Formula 3 and Formula 1 as teammates and rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawson expressed sympathy for Tsunoda but acknowledged the competitive nature of the sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s tricky because in the same way I would feel for anybody that\u2019s not in Formula 1, that\u2019s worked a long time to get there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut at the same time, there\u2019s a lot of guys that don\u2019t get the opportunity ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe\u2019s had a few years in the sport and I think it\u2019s a very tough game, which obviously I\u2019ve learned as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawson\u2019s reflections highlight the harsh realities of F1, where opportunities can be fleeting but clarity about the future is invaluable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Liam Lawson has opened up about his early-season demotion from Red Bull Racing in 2025 and admitted he could have adapted to the team given more time. The New Zealand driver began his first full Formula 1 season this year but was moved down to Racing Bulls just two rounds in, a decision beyond his control. Despite the setback, Lawson expressed regret over losing his Red Bull seat, even though he has secured a place on the 2026 grid. The Kiwi described the demotion as sudden, especially since he had just two races at unfamiliar tracks to prove his capabilities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":35361,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-latest-news"],"yoast_head":"\n