Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar has addressed Liam Lawson being replaced at Red Bull by his now-former team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.
The Milton Keynes outfit decided to move Lawson back to Racing Bulls after just two race weekends of his rookie Formula 1 season. Despite choosing the New Zealander over Tsunoda at the end of 2024 to replace Sergio Perez, the team now feels the latter will be a better fit alongside four-time champion Max Verstappen.
For Hadjar, he is now partnered with a fellow rookie rather than Tsunoda, who had been with the team for four years. When asked by Motorsport.com in Suzuka whether Lawson joining him changes anything, he explained:
“I’m not sure [it changes anything]. I don’t think so. I think it’s. We’re gonna work just fine together and you know, I just focus on what I’m doing and I don’t need anyone special alongside to push myself to drive as fast as I can, so I don’t really. And I just know Liam is great to work with.”
Red Bull and its sister team, Racing Bulls, took part in a Flat Out in Tokyo showrun, powered by Honda, yesterday. All four drivers, Hadjar, Lawson, Verstappen, and Tsunoda, took to the streets of Tokyo in the RB16B, RB7, RB7 featuring Racing Bulls’ 2025 livery, and a Honda RA272.
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Photo by: Clive Mason/Getty Images
Commenting on whether it was uncomfortable during the showrun yesterday, Hadjar added:
“I think it’s maybe [weird] for everyone except for the drivers because we know what’s going on and how hard this sport is. So, between us, there are no awkward situations at all.”
2025 is the last season of Red Bull’s partnership with Honda. To mark the occasion of their last Japanese Grand Prix together, Red Bull has produced a special all-white livery. The livery marks the 60th anniversary of Honda’s first Formula 1 victory at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix, which Richie Ginther won in the RA272. The iconic Honda is the inspiration behind the striking new livery.
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