New Zealander Liam Lawson is set to take over from Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull Racing, partnering with Yuki Tsunoda for the remainder of the Formula 1 season. The announcement came earlier on Thursday when Red Bull confirmed Ricciardo’s departure, expressing their gratitude for his contributions during his two stints with the team.
Lawson, who has been serving as the team’s reserve driver since 2022, will step into the race seat starting with the upcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin. He made his Grand Prix debut at Zandvoort last year as a stand-in for the injured Ricciardo and performed admirably, securing his first points with a ninth-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix over a five-race stint.
Following discussions among the senior leadership at Red Bull, the decision was made to let Ricciardo go and promote Lawson for the final six races of the season. This move will allow the team to evaluate Lawson alongside Tsunoda, who is having a standout season and already has a contract for the upcoming year.
“Everyone at VCARB would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Daniel for his hard work over the past two seasons,” said team principal Laurent Mekies. “He brought invaluable experience and talent to the team, fostering a strong team spirit with his fantastic attitude. Daniel has been a true gentleman both on and off the track, and he will be missed but will always have a special place in the Red Bull family.”
Mekies also welcomed Lawson to the team, noting that he is already familiar with the setup after driving for them last season. “He coped well under challenging circumstances, making this a natural transition. It’s fantastic to see young talent from within the Red Bull family take this next step. We’re eager to focus on the remainder of the season together.”