The final piece in the Formula 1 jigsaw has been completed, with the F1 driver line-up finalized for the new season. Just before Christmas, it was announced that Red Bull racer Sergio Perez will make way for Liam Lawson, with the New Zealander set to drive alongside world champion Max Verstappen on the F1 grid this year.
Perez joined Red Bull in 2021 and, across his four seasons and 90 race starts, scored five wins and helped the team achieve two Constructors’ Championships in 2022 and 2023. A day after the announcement that the Mexican had parted ways with Red Bull, it was confirmed that Liam Lawson would make the switch from the newly-named Racing Bulls team.
Lawson joined the Red Bull Junior Program in 2019 and made his F1 race debut at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix. He completed five races that year before transitioning to a Reserve Driver role at the beginning of last season. Once again, he stepped into a race seat for the departing Daniel Ricciardo late in 2024, and his impressive performances have been rewarded with a Red Bull drive.
Replacing the New Zealander at Racing Bulls is Frenchman Isack Hadjar. The 20-year-old follows in the footsteps of Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel, and Daniel Ricciardo as the 19th driver promoted to F1 from the Red Bull Junior Program, which started back in 2001.
Hadjar finished runner-up in FIA Formula 2 last season and is one of five rookies for the coming season. They include Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Jack Doohan (Alpine), Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) and Oliver Bearman (Haas).
