Max Verstappen has reopened one of Red Bull’s most uncomfortable debates of the 2025 Formula 1 season, making it clear that he never supported the decision to demote Liam Lawson after just two races – insisting that such moves can leave scars that last far longer than a bad weekend.
Lawson’s promotion to Red Bull over Yuki Tsunoda had been framed as a vote of confidence in the New Zealander’s potential.
But that faith evaporated almost immediately after bruising weekends in Australia and China, prompting Red Bull to send Lawson back to Racing Bulls and reinstall Tsunoda alongside Verstappen.
While the Dutchman voiced doubts at the time, he has now doubled down on his criticism, especially with Tsunoda failing to reverse the team’s long-running second-seat struggles.
‘You ruin someone’s chances’
Verstappen did not hide his frustration when reflecting in an interview with broadcaster Viaplay on how quickly Red Bull pulled the trigger on Lawson’s demotion.
“Two races next to one team-mate, I didn’t agree with that at the time. In the end, you ruin someone’s chances with a top team,” commented the four-time world champion
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For Verstappen, Red Bull’s decision – assumed at the time by both Helmut Marko and former team boss Christian Horner – was more than a simple performance call, suggesting it risked permanently damaging a rookie’s confidence and reputation.
In an era where patience is increasingly rare, the 28-year-old’s remarks cut against Red Bull’s long-established reputation for ruthless driver management.
Despite the setback, Verstappen was quick to credit Lawson for how he handled the blow.
“I think Lawson has recovered well,” he continued. “He could also have thought: ‘Never mind, the fun is gone.’”
For Verstappen, Lawson’s response highlighted the mental resilience required just to survive in modern F1 – let alone thrive after being publicly demoted by one of the sport’s most powerful teams.
Same Problem, Different Driver
Red Bull’s hope that Tsunoda would stabilise the situation proved optimistic at best.
The Japanese driver also struggled at the wheel of RB21, scoring just 30 points across the season and doing little to dispel the notion of a “curse” attached to Verstappen’s team-mate seat.
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Verstappen was keen to stress that talent has never been the issue for those who have lined up next to him.
“They try to use my set-up,” Verstappen explained. “But in the end, every driver has his own driving style.
“At some point, of course, you grow together, especially in the second half of the season. We often drove according to the same philosophy, but I had a little more understeer than Yuki.”
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His comments underline a recurring theme at Red Bull: a car developed around Verstappen’s preferences can magnify the difficulty for others, especially those still learning the nuances of F1 at the sharp end of the grid.
For Verstappen, that reality makes Red Bull’s swift judgement on Lawson even harder to justify.
“In any case, two races is far too early to make a judgement,” he concluded.
It is a pointed assessment from the team’s undisputed leader – one that raises uncomfortable questions about Red Bull’s appetite for instant results, and whether impatience rather than performance is still dictating who survives alongside Max Verstappen.
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