Liam Lawson will join Red Bull next year as Max Verstappen’s team-mate in Formula 1, it was announced on Thursday.

Just a day after the Milton Keynes-based squad announced an agreement had been reached to part ways with Sergio Perez, they confirmed they had decided to promote RB youngster Lawson.

The New Zealander comes to Red Bull without a full F1 season under his belt, having only taken part in two short appearances for AlphaTauri/RB in the last two seasons.

In 2023, he was called up as a temporary replacement for the injured Daniel Ricciardo, who broke his wrist in an accident at the Dutch Grand Prix. Lawson took part in five races, his best result being ninth place in Singapore.

This year he moved to RB from the United States Grand Prix after the team parted ways with Ricciardo, who had not delivered everything they had hoped for over the course of the season.

With ninth place in Austin, Lawson immediately collected points and ended up in this position again at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

While the New Zealander outscored his teammate Yuki Tsunoda 7-2 (6-0 excluding sprints) and scored fewer points during their time together, Red Bull felt he offered more potential due to his technical feedback and mental attitude.

Particularly after defending robustly against Fernando Alonso at the United States Grand Prix and at times throwing elbows at Perez, Lawson has convinced the team that he has exactly the attitude needed to take on someone as tough as Verstappen .

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said: “Liam’s performances over the course of his two outings with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls have shown that he is not only capable of delivering strong results, but that he is also a real racing driver who “Don’t be afraid to compete with others.” do the best and emerge as a winner.

Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

“His arrival continues the team’s long history of success within the Red Bull youth program and he follows in the footsteps of championship and race winning drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and of course Max Verstappen.”

“There is no doubt that it is a huge task to drive alongside Max, a four-time champion and undoubtedly one of the best drivers Formula 1 has ever had, but I am sure Liam will can meet this challenge and deliver some outstanding results for us next year.”

On securing the Red Bull seat, Lawson said: “Being announced as an Oracle Red Bull Racing driver is a lifelong dream for me. This is something I have wanted and worked towards since I was eight years old.

“It’s been an incredible journey so far. I would like to thank the entire VCARB team for their support. The last six races have played a big role in my preparation for this next step.

“I would also like to thank Christian, Helmut (Marko) and the entire Red Bull family for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m really looking forward to working with Max and learning from a world champion. I have no doubt that I will learn from his expertise. I can’t wait to get started!”

RB has not yet announced who will replace Lawson, but it is expected to be junior driver Isack Hadjar, who was fighting for the F2 championship this year.