F1 Rumor: Lawson to replace Perez, Hadjar to replace Lawson

This rumor is upgraded to ‘fact’ now. After four successful seasons together, and following the conclusion of the longest Formula One season in history, Sergio Pérez and Oracle Red Bull Racing have reached an agreement to part ways for 2025. AutoRacing1.com also knows that Liam Lawson will take his place alongside Max Verstappen.

Perez joined Oracle Red Bull Racing for the 2021 season and across four seasons and 90 race starts with the Team, the Mexican racer enjoyed the most successful spell of his 13 years in Formula One. As well as scoring five wins, including victory at the Monaco Grand Prix and a pair of Azerbaijan Grand Prix wins that earned him a reputation as ‘F1’s King of the Streets’, Checo helped the Team to two Constructors’ Championship titles, in 2022 and 2023. As a title runner-up in his own regard last year, he also sealed the Team’s first one-two finish in the Drivers’ standings.

Perez, said: “I’m incredibly grateful for the past four years with Oracle Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing Team. Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience and I’ll always cherish the successes we achieved together. We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way. A big thank you to every person in the Team from the management, engineers and mechanics, catering, hospitality, kitchen, marketing and communications, as well as everyone at Milton Keynes, I wish you all the best for the future. It has also been an honor to race alongside Max as a teammate all these years and to share in our success. A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We’ll meet again soon. And remember…Never give up.”

Christian Horner, Team Principal and CEO of Oracle Red Bull Racing, said: “I would like to thank Checo for all he has done for Oracle Red Bull Racing over the past four seasons. From the moment he joined in 2021 he proved himself to be an extraordinary Team player, helping us to two Constructors’ titles and to our first 1-2 finish in the Drivers’ championship. His five wins, all on street circuits, were also a spectacular mark of his determination to always push to the limit. While Checo will not race for the Team next season, he will always be an extremely popular Team member and a treasured part of our history. Thank you, Checo.”

December 18, 2024

This rumor is almost ready to be upgraded to ‘fact.’ Multiple highly respected broadcasters and publications are all reporting in unison that Sergio Perez is definitely departing the Red Bull Racing lineup for 2025.

In Germany, Sky, RTL, NTV, Auto Motor und Sport and the major newspaper Bild all agree, as does the French broadcaster Canal Plus – Red Bull has managed to negotiate the end of the struggling Mexican driver’s 2025 contract.

And despite Yuki Tsunoda’s chances looking brighter in the last few days, the driver who will replace Perez is also becoming abundantly clear – Liam Lawson.

“The team management and the Red Bull shareholders came to this decision in a meeting after the season finale in Abu Dhabi,” Auto Motor und Sport reporter Thomas Harloff confidently claimed.

Tellingly, in his appearance on the ‘Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar-7’ on Servus TV, which is owned by Red Bull, Verstappen stopped short when asked about the intensifying rumors about Perez’s future.

“I can’t say anything now,” the quadruple world champion insisted.

But when asked separately about Perez’s 2024 season, Verstappen gave a little more away.

“Of course, you always have to beat your teammate,” he answered. “But I’ve always had a very good relationship with all of my teammates.

“The team always wants to have two fast drivers,” Verstappen added. “It’s also better for the team if both drivers get along well.”

Escudería Telmex, an auto racing sponsor org founded by Mexican businessman Carlos Slim, took to X to celebrate “four historic years” with Red Bull and Checo. While Escudería Telmex did not provide any official confirmation of parting ways with Red Bull, because of the timing of their post, it can only be assumed that they have done so because Perez will not be returning.

¡Cuatro años históricos! #TeamCheco pic.twitter.com/ukh69JJR7c

— Escudería Telmex (@escuderiatelmex) December 17, 2024

Assuming that both Escudería Telmex and Perez were to leave Red Bull, the Mexican driver could be one of the most sought-after racers for other teams, knowing the kind of sponsorship deals he can bring with him.

December 17, 2024

Rumor has it that Red Bull have made their decision – Liam Lawson will be promoted up to the Red Bull team as Max Verstappen’s teammate in 2025 and Red Bull sponsored F2 driver Isack Hadjar will replace Lawson on the Racing Bulls ‘B’ team.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

During the Abu Dhabi weekend, Helmut Marko had confirmed that an important meeting would be held on the day after the last GP of the season “to decide the future of both teams”.

The Red Bull board, for the first time involved in a decision involving a driver, has expressed its willingness to end the relationship (as a driver) with Sergio Perez, while finding a solution that satisfies both parties.

Rumor has it that Sergio Perez has been offered to become a Red Bull Brand Ambassador, while maintaining the existing contract with the team signed last summer. He may also be offered a Reserve Driver role

“We’ve heard rumors that Perez will get $16 million to be bought out of his Red Bull driving contract.

According to Helmut Marko, official announcements will take place this week. “In the next few days we will announce the news on the pair of drivers for next year,” Marko said in his SpeedWeek column, admitting that negotiations are underway and that a decision will be made in a few hours.

Liam Lawson’s arrival in Red Bull would clearly open the doors of Formula 1 to rookie Isack Hadjar in VCARB (Now called Racing Bulls), something confirmed to AutoRacer.IT by sources very close to the Faenza team. Hadjar is a French driver with an Algerian passport.