Max Verstappen reportedly disagrees with Red Bull’s decision to axe Liam Lawson for Yuki Tsunoda just two races into the season, after previously supporting the New Zealander
Max Verstappen is reportedly angry with Red Bull’s decision to axe Liam Lawson after just two races of the 2025 F1 season.
The four-time world champion will line up alongside Yuki Tsunoda from the Japanese Grand Prix after Red Bull bosses decided to demote Lawson back down to the Racing Bulls team.
Lawson failed to pick up points in either of the opening Grand Prix races and the sprint race in China, with Red Bull again showing their cut throat approach to drivers.
Despite the Kiwi’s miserable start, Verstappen is said to disagree with the decision to fire him despite the damage it has done to Red Bull’s Constructors’ Championship hopes.
According to the Mail, a source close to Red Bull has said that Verstappen is shaken by Lawson’s sacking. The unnamed source is reported as saying: “It is totally unfair to treat Liam like this.
“You have to give him more than two races to prove himself after he has worked for this opportunity all his life. He may not have done well, no argument over that. But to ditch him so fast is seriously bad. It smacks of a team in chaos.”
Moreover, Dutch publication De Telegraaf has reported that Red Bull’s brutal decision to axe Lawson has left Verstappen frustrated.
The report states: “One can guess what Verstappen himself thinks of the decision of Red Bull’s management to victimise Liam Lawson after only two races in favour of Yuki Tsunoda.
“The Limburger [referring to the region of Belgium that Verstappen is from] also disagrees with the team management’s decision to intervene so soon.”
Verstappen had previously backed Lawson during his doomed transition period from the sister team to Red Bull, saying: “That Racing Bulls car is easier to drive than ours. I notice that when I talk to Liam.
“Last year the difference between him and Yuki wasn’t that big, I thought. Otherwise the team wouldn’t have made the choice to put Liam in at Red Bull.”
Speaking after pulling the trigger, Red Bull Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner said: “It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch.”
He added: “We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a Team he knows very well.”