Liam Lawson details ‘done deal’ phone call that ended his Red Bull stint

Liam Lawson has detailed the timeline of events which led to him finding out about his demotion from the Red Bull F1 team.

Last week Red Bull ruthlessly decided to axe Lawson just two races into his stint with the main team following a nightmare pair of weekends in Australia and China.

The 23-year-old Kiwi has been sent back to Red Bull’s sister squad Racing Bulls, with Yuki Tsunoda moving in the other direction to earn what he feels is a long-awaited promotion having originally been overlooked for 2025.

Lawson has revealed he had no idea about Red Bull’s decision until he received an “unexpected” phone call from team principal Christian Horner following the Chinese Grand Prix weekend.

“I had no idea in China. It was something that was decided, I guess the Monday or Tuesday afterwards. I found out after China. I think for all of us it was probably more unexpected. But it was after the weekend,” he said ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. 

“It was more of a done deal, I would say it was. I left China, starting preparations for Japan and basically I had a phone call saying that this was what was going to happen.”

Lawson added: “It is maybe something I wasn't expecting so early but something that obviously is not my decision. For me it's about making the most of this opportunity now and still being in Formula 1, I still have that.

“I think I was more surprised. It's very early in the season and I would say I was hoping to go to a track that I'd raced before and have a clean weekend to have a chance like that.

“But the decision obviously was made when I was told. So, although it was tough to hear, I had one or two days to think about it.”

Does Liam Lawson see a way back to Red Bull?

Lawson twice batted off questions about whether he intends to return to Red Bull one day, insisting he is instead focused on the short-term and proving he is deserving of his place in F1.

“I think we know how Formula 1 is and how quickly things change. I mean, if I look back a year ago, I had no seat. I was here a year ago, watching and wishing I was racing,” he explained.

“Then I had the opportunity to race at the end of last year and the opportunity then to go to Red Bull Racing. So, a lot has happened in 12 months. So, for me, the main thing is being in a car, and I have the opportunity to prove I belong here and that's what I'll try and do.

“In terms of where my future is. I don't know and, for me, the only way I can control that is by driving fast.

“I guess that [a Red Bull return] is part of the conversation. I guess in a way that's great, but obviously I was already there starting the season and was focused on proving myself in the team at that point.

“So, look, whatever happens down the line is more or less out of my control. What I can control is the driving stuff to prove that. So, yeah, where the future goes, honestly, at this point, I'm not really thinking about it too much.”

And Lawson stressed the decision has not affected his confidence.

“I think confidence-wise, it doesn’t change a lot,” he said. “We all have enough self-belief to be here, to make it to Formula 1 and to be in the sport. If you don’t have that self-belief, I think, yeah, it makes it very, very difficult. So I think we all have that naturally.

“It doesn’t really change how I feel about myself. I think what it’s doing for me, the best opportunity I had was with Red Bull Racing, and that’s where we’re all working towards. That’s what I was working towards since joining the junior program as a 16-year-old.

“So obviously for me, I feel like I would have liked to make that opportunity work, and that was in my best interest. But obviously the Christian and the team will have their opinions on what’s best, and that’s up to them to decide.”