Eight of the 10 Formula 1 teams will field new driver line-ups in the 2025 season, but one squad has created the potential for internal ‘unrest’ thanks to their new signing.
Only McLaren via Lando Norris plus Oscar Piastri and Aston Martin via Fernando Alonso plus Lance Stroll have retained their line-ups from the 2024 campaign. The headline switch came thanks to Ferrari hiring Lewis Hamilton to replace Carlos Sainz, who would head to Williams.
But the Scuderia were not alone, as Mercedes promoted Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull released Sergio Perez from his contract. Alpine also axed Esteban Ocon who moved to Haas, with the American outfit fielding an all-new line-up with Oliver Bearman graduating from F2.
Red Bull risk internal ‘unrest’ if Liam Lawson regularly beats Max Verstappen in 2025
Ferrari now have to juggle keeping seven-time Formula 1 drivers’ champion Hamilton happy while also giving Charles Leclerc the chance to fight for his first title. But the Maranello crew are not the only F1 squad risking sparks in their garage after changing their drivers for 2025.
Tom Coronel fears Red Bull have created the potential for ‘unrest’ inside the F1 team if Liam Lawson challenges Max Verstappen too often. The Milton Keynes natives promoted the 23-year-old from their sister crew Racing Bulls to be the No2 after terminating Perez’s contract.
READ MORE: Who is Red Bull Racing F1 driver Liam Lawson? Everything you need to know
But, whilst Red Bull only want Lawson to be Verstappen’s No2 and support the 27-year-old’s bid for a fifth title in as many seasons, Coronel believes they also need the Kiwi to challenge the Dutchman. Yet if Lawson puts too much pressure on Verstappen, the cracks will emerge.
Coronel has told Motorsport.com: “You need a second driver who is smart and skilled, and who knows how to score well and who can also contribute something to the team, and not just to Max because that’s not possible.
“I mean, giving a few taps is always nice. [Lawson needs to] breathe down his neck because then you often see that fierce Max come back. I’m not just talking about the drivers around him but also a little bit internally.
“But not too much because that means unrest. I understand what Red Bull are looking for and doing because they also have to think about the future. I think you have to look at it from that perspective.”
Red Bull need Liam Lawson to be closer to Max Verstappen than Sergio Perez could
Red Bull have rallied around Verstappen in recent seasons to make the Milton Keynes squad very much the Dutchman’s team. The feeling that Red Bull sided with Verstappen saw Daniel Ricciardo leave them, with Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Perez then failing to meet the grade.
Now, it is Lawson’s turn to join Verstappen at the £2.7bn-valued Red Bull F1 team in 2025. It is a huge task for the Kiwi to go up against the four-time defending champion at a team built around the Dutchman, though, let alone with Lawson having only started 11 Grands Prix yet.
READ MORE: Sergio Perez’s Red Bull record compared to Max Verstappen’s ex-teammates
| Category | Sergio Perez | Max Verstappen |
| 2024 points | 152 | 437 |
| Grand Prix results | 1 | 23 |
| Grand Prix qualifying | 1 | 23 |
| Grand Prix wins | 0 | 9 |
| Grand Prix poles | 0 | 8 |
| Grand Prix podiums | 4 | 14 |
| Best finish | 2nd | 1st |
| Retirements | 4 | 1 |
| Retirements (classified finish) | 1 | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 1 | 3 |
| Grand Prix points finishes | 16 | 23 |
| Sprint results | 0 | 6 |
| Sprint Qualifying | 0 | 6 |
| Sprint wins | 0 | 4 |
| Sprint poles | 0 | 4 |
| Sprint podiums | 2 | 4 |
Red Bull will likely hope Lawson’s inexperience in Formula 1 having contested only five races with AlphaTauri in 2023 and six with RB in 2024 means he is not on Verstappen’s level all too often. But he must be closer to the 63-time Grand Prix winner than Perez managed last year.
Failing to be anywhere near Verstappen for much of last season meant Red Bull let Perez go, despite giving him a contract extension for 2025 last June. Verstappen beat Perez for points (437 to 152), Grand Prix results (23 to one), qualifying (23 to one) and podiums (14 to four).
Perez’s plight throughout the 2024 F1 season ultimately cost Red Bull the defence of their F1 constructors’ championship after lifting the 2022 and 2023 titles. Red Bull won the 2022 title with 759 points to Ferrari in second on 554, plus with 860 to Mercedes in second on 409 in 2023. Yet they came third in 2024 with 589 points behind McLaren (666) and Ferrari (652).
