Liam Lawson Suggests Red Bull Made a Mistake Firing Him With Bold New Claim

Liam Lawson says securing a place on the 2026 Formula 1 grid brings a sense of relief, even as he continues to regret the sequence of events that cost him a full-time Red Bull seat.



The New Zealander began this season driving for Red Bull, but his stay lasted only two rounds before the team opted to replace him with Isack Hadjar.



Red Bull has now confirmed Hadjar will partner Lawson next year, finalising a driver line-up that left Lawson both satisfied about his future and reflective about the setback that derailed his 2024 campaign.



A Difficult Start That Still Lingers



Lawson acknowledged that the abrupt nature of his early-season demotion left him confused and frustrated, particularly as both races took place at circuits he had never driven before.



The 22-year-old admitted the opening phase of the season had been a low point, explaining that he was “struggling to understand what [was] going on.”



He failed to score points in either event, and the short window he was given made it even harder to adjust.



“I would have liked to have thought that, with the right amount of time, I would have got my head around it, honestly,” he told the official Formula 1 channel.



“For me two races – I honestly don’t even really remember them, they were so short.”



Relief Ahead of the Final Round



The contrast with his current situation is stark.



Last year, and again early this season, Lawson faced significant uncertainty about his future.



This time, he heads into the championship finale knowing he will be on the grid next year, a change he says has lifted pressure off his shoulders.



“It’s probably a bit more relief than anything right now,” he admitted.



“It’s also nice going into this weekend knowing that – I can’t really remember the last time I had that.”



“So I’ll try and enjoy the weekend a little bit, but I think that it’s very positive and it’s exciting to be able to go into next year and spend the off-season with a proper plan.”



Tsunoda Falls Out of F1 After Difficult Season



Red Bull has also clarified the future of Yuki Tsunoda, who took over Lawson’s seat earlier in the year.



Tsunoda will not continue in Formula 1 next season after scoring only 30 points during his stint, a tally that put him behind both Lawson and Hadjar, who delivered stronger results for Racing Bulls.



The Japanese driver had previously been teammates with Lawson in Formula 1 and during earlier stages of their junior careers.



Asked whether he felt sympathy for Tsunoda, Lawson said it was a complicated situation.



“It’s tricky because in the same way I would feel for anybody that’s not in Formula 1, that’s worked a long time to get there, but at the same time there’s a lot of guys that don’t get the opportunity ever,” he said.



“He’s had a few years in the sport and I think it’s a very tough game, which obviously I’ve learned as well.”
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