New Zealand driver Liam Lawson will replace Mexican driver Checo Pérez and will be the new teammate of four-time world champion Max Verstappen at the Austrian team Red Bull for the 2025 season, the team announced.

Following an agreement between Pérez and Red Bull to part ways at the end of the 2024 season, the Austrian team narrowed down the list of potential candidates for the seat to Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda and New Zealander Liam Lawson.

Ultimately, Lawson prevailed over Tsunoda due to his strong performances in the last two seasons, where he replaced Daniel Ricciardo for five races at the end of 2023 and then replaced the Australian from the United States Grand Prix onward in 2024.

Lawson expressed that he was living "the dream of a lifetime" in comments to the Red Bull team: "Being announced as a driver for Oracle Red Bull Racing is the dream of my life."

"It’s something I’ve wanted and worked for since I was eight years old. It’s been an incredible journey so far," he added.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner expressed his excitement about the signing: "I am delighted to announce that Liam Lawson will join the team in 2025. Liam's performances over his two stints with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls have shown that not only is he capable of delivering good results, but he’s also a true racer, unafraid to mix it up with the best and come out victorious," he said.