Liam Lawson is about to be dropped by Pink Bull after simply two grands prix for the Method 1 squad and he’s due to get replaced by former team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.
The New Zealander moved from sister squad RB, now Racing Bulls, for 2025 after Sergio Perez was ousted having massively struggled towards Pink Bull star Max Verstappen ending 285 factors under him final 12 months.
RB duo Lawson and Tsunoda had been due to this fact in rivalry to develop into Verstappen’s team-mate with Pink Bull choosing the previous regardless of solely 11 grand prix begins to his title.
However the Austrian outfit is now set to reverse its resolution, so here’s a take a look at the important thing dates of Lawson’s three-month stint with the staff.
19 December, 2024 – Pink Bull affirm Lawson as Perez substitute
On Wednesday 19 December, Pink Bull formally introduced Lawson as Verstappen’s team-mate for 2025 having confirmed Perez’s departure the day prior.
That got here regardless of Perez initially being contracted for the forthcoming 12 months, however disappointing type from the six-time grand prix winner brought on limitless hypothesis that 2024 will probably be his closing season at Pink Bull.
Liam Lawson, RB F1 Workforce VCARB 01, Sergio Perez, Pink Bull Racing RB20
Picture by: Pink Bull Content material Pool
The affirmation lastly got here, however the choices to exchange him had been slim. So, Pink Bull continued with its conventional route of selling drivers from its junior squad, the place Lawson made his F1 debut in 2023 when the staff was referred to as AlphaTauri.
Lawson’s first race was the Dutch Grand Prix when he changed the injured Daniel Ricciardo, earlier than contesting the subsequent 4 rounds earlier than the Aussie’s return. Lawson then changed the underperforming Ricciardo for good for the ultimate six grands prix of 2024, a run which noticed the then 22-year-old rating 4 factors in comparison with Tsunoda’s eight.
Upon his promotion, Lawson stated: “It’s a lifelong dream of mine to be introduced as a Pink Bull Racing driver.”
25 February, 2025 – Lawson current as Pink Bull launched its 2025 F1 automotive
Whereas Pink Bull launched its 2025 livery at F175, it formally unveiled the RB21 every week later. Pink Bull’s focus was on enhancing automotive steadiness, because the RB20 proved tough to drive and such unpredictability brought on the competitors to shut and finally overtake the 2023 world champions.
The occasion was additionally an opportunity for Lawson to replicate on his transfer to Pink Bull and he was nicely conscious early on that going up towards Verstappen in his personal staff can be the New Zealander’s hardest problem but.
“There isn’t a one you may study higher from,” Lawson stated of Verstappen, “however the knife cuts each methods. We’re all in F1 to win and Max is the hardest one to beat.”
Liam Lawson, Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
Picture by: Pink Bull Content material Pool
Lawson was conscious of the strain related to this change. He stated he had no particular timeline for attaining his first victory, however his final aim was clear: win races and develop into world champion. There was no scarcity of ambition and confidence at the moment, however the first meters within the RB21 had been but to comply with.
26 February, 2025 – The beginning of pre-season testing in Bahrain
Lawson took to the circuit for his first official session as a Pink Bull F1 driver, by contesting pre-season testing for the 2025 marketing campaign.
He shared the automotive with Verstappen on the opening day, the place Lawson drove 58 laps of the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit clocking a finest time of 1m31.560s. Though the consequence didn’t say a lot concerning the pure pace of the RB21, it was necessary for the staff to achieve perception into the efficiency of the automotive.
But it was nonetheless a tough day for Lawson, who spun at Turns 2 and three however with out harm. Lawson rapidly dismissed the incident and indicated on the finish of the session that he was happy together with his efficiency.
27 February, 2025 – Lawson continues to study in pre-season testing
The second day of Bahrain testing supplied extra studying moments for Lawson, who didn’t need to share the Pink Bull with Verstappen on the Thursday.
Lawson drove 91 laps and improved his finest time to a 1m30.252s, regardless of technical considerations for the automotive which included a cooling downside with the turbo and rain that disrupted the programme. Lawson was nonetheless happy although, stating “I am beginning to really feel increasingly more snug with the automotive”.
14 March, 2025 – Troublesome opening day on the Australian GP
Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
Picture by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Photographs
The 2025 F1 season began in Australia and Lawson’s torrid marketing campaign to this point has been tough from the beginning as he completed sixteenth and seventeenth within the Melbourne Friday follow periods – the place he was a lot slower than Verstappen.
Lawson was self-critical saying he was “snug however too sluggish” earlier than including “we count on to have some work to do after the primary day on a brand new monitor, however not as a lot as we have now now”.
Workforce boss Christian Horner was sympathetic although, stressing that Lawson continues to be a rookie and wanted time to develop.
“Liam, it’s an enormous step up,” Horner advised Sky Sports activities F1. “Being Max’s team-mate might be the hardest job in Method 1. However he’s acquired the psychological aptitude and power of character to cope with that.
“He’s not been right here earlier than, I believe he’s the one driver on the grid that hasn’t performed some laps round this circuit. However he’s discovering his ft and giving some superb suggestions, he’s settling in properly. We’ll see over the subsequent few races.”
15 March, 2025 – Lawson’s struggles proceed with Q1 exit
A turbocharger downside brought on a tough closing follow in Melbourne for Lawson, who entered qualifying with out optimum preparation.
Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
Picture by: Pink Bull Content material Pool
That was rapidly proven, as he skidded off in Q1 inflicting Lawson to qualify in 18th for his Pink Bull debut – the second-slowest time as Oliver Bearman did not set a lap after crashing.
“Lacking third follow was expensive and I should not have shot off the monitor myself,” lamented Lawson. It was the worst doable begin, particularly when Tsunoda certified fifth within the VCARB02 to immediately put strain on his former team-mate.
16 March, 2025 – Lawson crashes on debut grand prix for Pink Bull
Lawson hoped for rain on the Sunday given his low begin place and his prayers had been answered, however that’s when issues acquired even worse for him: he crashed out with 10 laps remaining, after the staff opted to not pit him for intermediates.
Pink Bull put that all the way down to Lawson already working exterior of the factors when the rain started to fall, so generally it was a really disappointing debut for the New Zealander and already an indication of issues to come back.
Once more, Tsunoda continued to impress as, regardless of ending exterior of the factors as a consequence of a misguided technique when situations grew to become moist, he drove a lot of the race within the excessive scoring positions.
21 March, 2025 – Final in dash qualifying on the Chinese language GP
Lawson’s adversity continued in Shanghai, the place he completed 18th within the first and solely free follow session. The scenario didn’t enhance both, as he completed final in dash qualifying explaining that issues with tyre temperature prevented him from setting a aggressive sufficient time.
“I believe from the place to begin it wasn’t too dangerous; the primary lap was alright, after which we had been simply seeking to construct on there, however we stayed out to attempt to cool the tyres on monitor,” stated Lawson.
“To be trustworthy, I actually struggled to get the temps down, beginning the second lap, so we began too scorching after which by way of the lap I simply struggled. It is irritating.
“It is actually a disgrace as a result of I believe actually we began OK in quali – first lap wasn’t superb, nevertheless it was comparatively OK, so it is only a disgrace to be out for one thing so irritating. Our tempo ought to be quite a bit additional up than the place we’re.”
22 March, 2025 – Writing on the wall for Lawson
Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, RB F1 Workforce
Picture by: Pink Bull Content material Pool
Lawson did not get better a lot within the dash having solely completed 14th, but that also earned reward from Marko for his exhausting work and aggressiveness. But it surely did not take a lot to look over on the Racing Bulls storage to see Tsunoda declare sixth within the dash race to proceed his tremendous type, maybe in a decided bid to indicate Pink Bull it promoted the fallacious driver.
However, with one other session on the Saturday in Shanghai nonetheless to play, Lawson had a chance to bounce again. But qualifying for the grand prix was once more poor from Lawson, who completed final after two flying laps.
His first was solely ok for nineteenth, whereas on his closing one he was held up by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly by way of Flip 16 – however Lawson nonetheless made it clear that that should not have brought on his early elimination.
“It was simply a kind of issues – he [Gasly] determined to go for his lap early and I began my lap too shut,” Lawson stated. “But it surely shouldn’t be the distinction between me getting by way of to Q2 and never getting by way of, we should always actually be getting there on the primary lap. It’s one thing I have to get on prime of.”
Tsunoda, in the meantime, superior to the ultimate a part of qualifying once more and he began the grand prix in ninth.
23 March, 2025 – No indicators of enchancment
Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs
Lawson finally began the Chinese language Grand Prix from the pitlane as a consequence of some pre-race set-up adjustments, which nonetheless didn’t have the specified affect because the Pink Bull driver as soon as once more completed exterior of the factors. He crossed the road in sixteenth, however finally bumped as much as twelfth as a consequence of a time penalty for Jack Doohan and disqualifications for each Ferraris and Gasly.
Regardless of the gulf in efficiency between Verstappen and Lawson turning into much more obvious through the grand prix, the four-time world champion was nonetheless sympathetic together with his team-mate saying the Racing Bulls automotive is less complicated to drive than the RB21.
That was nonetheless no comfort for Lawson although, who admitted he’s “not going to be round” for lengthy ought to his present performances proceed. And the hypothesis was beginning to point out that, because it already emerged through the Chinese language Grand Prix weekend that Lawson’s future was unsure with Tsunoda set for a promotion.
25 March, 2025 – Session on unprecedented early driver swap
On the 25 March, all indicators began to point that Pink Bull is now able to drop Lawson for Tsunoda forward of subsequent weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Whereas Lawson has constantly struggled this 12 months, Tsunoda is but to place a foot fallacious resulting in Marko labelling him as a “totally different Yuki from the years earlier than”.
“He’s within the type of his life,” he added. “He has a distinct strategy. He is extra mature. It took some time, however now it seems to be prefer it’s working”.
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Casper Bekking
Method 1
Max Verstappen
Liam Lawson
Yuki Tsunoda
Pink Bull Racing
Racing Bulls
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