MAX VERSTAPPEN SLAMS RED BULL: LAWSON’S TWO-RACE AXING “RUINED” HIS TOP-TIER CAREER PATH
Max Verstappen critiques Red Bull’s cutthroat driver strategy, claiming Liam Lawson never got a fair shot at the top team seat.
Max Verstappen thinks Liam Lawson didn't get a fair shot at Red Bull. Getting dropped after only two race weekends could mess up a driver's whole career, he says.
Verstappen thinks kicking Lawson off the team ruins a driver's chances.
Lawson got the Red Bull seat for the 2025 season, picked over Yuki Tsunoda. Christian Horner, who used to head up Red Bull, said that the team felt Lawson had more potential, which is why they went with him.
But after only a few races, Lawson was sent back to Racing Bulls because he didn't get out of Q1 in three tries.
Verstappen made his feelings known when he liked a post on Instagram by Giedo van der Garde, a former F1 driver, who said Red Bull's choice was almost like bullying.
When asked about it in Japan, Verstappen said, I liked what the comment said, so I guess that says it all.
Helmut Marko, who used to advise Red Bull on motorsports, admitted that Verstappen didn't agree with Red Bull's choice.
Marko told De Telegraaf, We know Max isn't happy. But we need two fast cars, not just for the Constructors' Championship, but also to help Max win his fifth title.
But switching Lawson out for Tsunoda didn't help Red Bull's results. The Japanese driver only scored 30 points in 22 race weekends, which is way less than Verstappen's 421.
Lawson took a few races to get used to Racing Bulls, but he did well and scored 38 points. He even finished P5 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, beating Tsunoda.
Even though Lawson bounced back, Verstappen still isn't happy with Red Bull's choice.
Verstappen told Viaplay, I didn't think it was right to only give him two races. You end up wrecking someone's chances with a top team.
He added, I think Lawson has done well to recover. He could have easily thought, 'Forget it, this isn't fun anymore.'
Either way, two races isn't enough time to judge someone, he said.
Lawson will stay with Racing Bulls next season. Verstappen will get another teammate at Red Bull since Isack Hadjar is being promoted. Tsunoda will be Red Bull's reserve driver.
When asked why his teammates, especially Tsunoda, can't keep up with him, Verstappen says it's because of the car's setup and how he feels in the car.
Verstappen said, They try to copy my setup. But every driver has their own style. After a while, you start to get on the same page, especially in the second half of the season. We usually had the same ideas, but I liked a little more understeer than Yuki.
EXPERT ANALYSIS: RED BULL PROMOTES ISACK HADJAR AS MAX VERSTAPPEN DOUBTS TEAM STRATEGY FOR 2026
Max Verstappen remains vocal over Liam Lawson’s exit as Isack Hadjar is confirmed for Red Bull’s "cursed" second seat in 2026.
Max Verstappen is still not happy about Liam Lawson getting benched so quickly. Also, people are saying Red Bull has a big choice to make about who drives their second car. Here's the latest:
Verstappen Unhappy with Lawson Decision
After Sergio Perez left, Lawson became Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull. But after only two race weekends, he was out.
Lawson went back to Racing Bulls for the Japanese GP. Verstappen wasn't thrilled then, and he's still not happy about it now.
Red Bull's Second Car Problem
Ever since Daniel Ricciardo left in 2018, Red Bull hasn't found a driver who can reliably do well in the second car.
Yuki Tsunoda struggled after replacing Lawson. Then he became a test/reserve driver after the 2025 season. Isack Hadjar is up next.
Karun Chandhok, a former F1 driver and now an analyst for Sky, thinks Red Bull has a big choice to make. If they want to win both titles again, Chandhok says they need a second car that can actually compete.
Ferrari's Big Signing a Mistake?
Ferrari tried to get Adrian Newey, a key guy from Verstappen and Red Bull's success, but he picked Aston Martin instead.
Ferrari did sign Lewis Hamilton, but the seven-time world champion didn't do so great in 2025.
Did Ferrari pick the wrong F1 star? Riccardo Patrese, who won six races, wasn't saying much when asked about it.
Williams Shows Off 2026 Test Colours
Williams is the first team to show what their cars will look like for the first F1 2026 pre-season test.
With new rules for cars and engines, the new cars will be on the track for the first time in January for a private test in Barcelona.
The Williams FW48 will have its Flow State colours.
Mercedes Shares Sound of 2026 Engine
Mercedes did what Honda did and put the sound of their new engine on social media.
People are very curious about the Mercedes engine because it will be in the McLaren, Williams, and Alpine cars, plus the Mercedes team cars.
FERRARI 2026 LAUNCH: LEWIS HAMILTON AND CHARLES LECLERC SET FOR AGGRESSIVE JANUARY 23 CAR DEBUT
Ferrari confirms a January 23 launch for their 2026 car. Hamilton and Leclerc will debut the "Spec A" design at Fiorano.
Ferrari just dropped their plan for launching their 2026 F1 car.
The team will show off their 2026 car on January 23rd, followed by a quick test run at their Fiorano track.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are set to debut the still-unnamed 2026 F1 car three days before the first private test at Barcelona, which kicks off on January 26th.
"It's going to be tight, since we're wrapping up the car assembly the day before the launch," Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur said at the yearly press thing in Maranello.
The launch is on January 23rd in Maranello, which means we will finish the car on the 22nd. It's a push, but everyone else is doing the same.”
Ferrari will kick off testing with a simple car design, aiming to log as many miles as possible during the Barcelona test before chasing speed.
Vasseur thinks most teams will do the same, saying, “I think everyone will. The main thing is to get those miles in. It's not about going fast right away, but more about checking that the car's tech is sound in terms of how it holds up. Speed comes later. So, I figure everyone will roll into Barcelona with a basic version of their car.
Since we will have nine test days, unlike the three we had for the last few seasons, it means it’s a completely different program. The first goal this season is to ensure things are solid.
Back when the power units changed in 2014, a bunch of cars didn't finish races early on. This means that the first thing to do in Barcelona is to put miles on the car, figure out how reliable it is, and spot any areas that need work. Because if you spot something in Bahrain, there will be little time to react for Australia.”
2026 marks the start of new rules for F1, which is a huge deal for Ferrari after they dropped from second to fourth place in the standings during a rough, winless 2025 season.