“I belong here”: Liam Lawson set to show his worth following Red Bull shock demotion

Liam Lawson concedes he was surprised by Red Bull 's move to demote him to Racing Bulls after just two races in the championship. The 23-year-old, who had been in the team alongside Max Verstappen , was demoted to make way for Yuki Tsunoda after a difficult start to the 2024 season. Instead of bemoaning the setback, though, Lawson is refusing to let the disappointment get the better of him and is keen to show that he has a place in Formula 1 .

Liam Lawson ‘surprised’ by early Red Bull demotion, focused on F1 future

Liam Lawson says he was "surprised" by Red Bull's call to demote him back to Racing Bulls but now remains determined to prove he "belongs" in the championship 📝👇#F1 #JapaneseGPhttps://t.co/NUpNEN5DG7

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 3, 2025

“I think I was more surprised,” Liam Lawson said according to Formula1.com. “Obviously it’s very early in the season, and I was hoping to go to a track that I’ve raced before and have a clean weekend to have a chance like that. Obviously [it’s] an opportunity this weekend and maybe something I wasn’t expecting so early, but something that obviously is not my decision, and for me it’s about making the most of this opportunity now and still being in Formula 1,” he admitted. “It’s been a good week of preparations, so I’m excited to get going.”

Lawson confirmed that he received no notification of the demotion during his time in China, hearing only of Red Bull's decision some days later. “I had no idea in China – it was something that was decided I guess the Monday or Tuesday afterwards. I found out after China, basically. It was I think for all of us probably more unexpected, but it was after the weekend.” he said.

The transfer was offered to him as a done deal, with minimal negotiation space. Though taken aback, Lawson was soon diverted from his initial shock to getting used to his new position with Racing Bulls. “The decision obviously was made when I was told, so although it was tough to hear, I had one or two days to think about it. Then I was in Faenza with VCARB [Racing Bulls] starting preparations and seat fits, and then you’re basically just focused on the job.” he said.

‘I belong here’—Liam Lawson stands firm despite Red Bull setback

Although Red Bull team principal Christian Horner presented the move as a ‘duty of care’ to Lawson's development, the driver is adamant his confidence is not affected. “Confidence-wise, it doesn’t change a lot—we all have enough self-belief to be here, to make it to Formula 1,” he said. “To be in the sport, if you don’t have that self-belief, it makes it very difficult, so I think we all have that naturally. For me, the main thing is being in a car—I have the opportunity to prove I belong here and that’s what I’ll try and do, and that’s what I do every single time I get in the car, and that’s what I’ll be doing this weekend. Things change very quickly in terms of where my future is—I don’t know, and for me, the only way I can control that is by driving fast,” he added.

What lies ahead for Liam Lawson?

Although Lawson's stint with Red Bull Racing didn't last long, his Formula 1 career is only just beginning. His goal now is to maximize his Racing Bulls seat, demonstrate his ability, and put himself in contention for another opportunity with a leading team.

Also read: “It was never a topic”: Red Bull never considered Daniel Ricciardo as a replacement

With the unpredictable nature of the sport, a good performance could place him back in the mix for a future Red Bull comeback—or even get him noticed elsewhere. For the time being, Liam Lawson is set to let his driving speak for itself.