- Lawson to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull next year after replacing Perez
- The 22-year-old New Zealander impressed this season for Red Bull’s sister team
- Lawson admitted the prospect of driving alongside Verstappen is a “daunting task”
Liam Lawson has been named as Sergio Perez’s replacement at Red Bull next season, describing his promotion as a “lifelong dream”.
The 22-year-old’s elevation, confirmed on Thursday morning, pairs him with current world champion Max Verstappen.
Lawson’s big break comes after Perez’s departure was announced on Wednesday, paving the way for the New Zealander to complete his four-year journey through Red Bull’s junior programme.
Lawson made his Formula One debut with AlphaTauri in the Netherlands last season as a replacement for the injured Daniel Ricciardo, and scored his first points in the following race in Singapore.
After a spell as a reserve driver, he took over Ricciardo’s role in the Racing Bulls team permanently earlier this year with a ninth-place finish in the United States. He has participated in 11 grand prix in total.
“This is my lifelong dream; it’s something I’ve wanted and worked for since I was eight years old,” Lawson said.
Liam Lawson will be Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull next season after being confirmed as a replacement for Sergio Pérez
Pérez’s departure from the Austrian manufacturer was confirmed on Wednesday after weeks of negotiations
Team manager Christian Horner said Lawson showed he is a “real racer”
‘I’m very excited to work alongside Max and learn from a world champion. I can’t wait to get going.’
Team principal Christian Horner said: “Liam has shown that he is not only capable of delivering good results, but is also a true racer, who is not afraid to mix it up with the best and come out on top.”
“There’s no doubt that racing alongside Max, a four-time champion and undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers ever seen in F1, is a daunting task, but I’m sure Liam can rise to the challenge and deliver some results for us.” outstanding below”. year.’