Milton Keynes (UK), Dec 19 : Red Bull have announced Liam Lawson as Sergio Perez's replacement to race alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen in the 2025 Formula 1 season.

New Zealand native Lawson joined the Red Bull Junior Programme in 2019 and after multiple junior formula successes made his Formula One debut with Scuderia AlphaTauri at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, in place of the injured Daniel Ricciardo. He scored his first championship points in just his second outing at the Singapore GP and completed five races in all for the team. After taking up his Reserve Driver role with both teams at the start of 2024, Lawson returned to Grand Prix racing with Racing Bulls with a points-scoring finish at this year's United States Grand Prix.

Now, after completing the season with RB, the 22-year-old takes the next step in his career with a seat at Red Bull.

'To be announced as an Oracle Red Bull Racing Driver is a lifelong dream for me, this is something I've wanted and worked towards since I was eight years old. It's been an incredible journey so far. I want to say a massive thank you to the whole team at VCARB for their support, the last six races have played a huge part in my preparation for this next step," Lawson said in a statement.

"I also want to thank, Christian, Helmut and the whole Red Bull family for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I am super excited to work alongside Max and learn from a World Champion, I have no doubt I will learn from his expertise. I can't wait to get going," he added.

Christian Horner, Red Bull Team Principal and CEO said: 'I'm delighted to announce that Liam Lawson will join the Team in 2025. Liam's performances over the course of his two stints with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls have demonstrated that he's not only capable of delivering strong results but that he's also a real racer, not afraid to mix it with the best and come out on top.

"His arrival continues the Team's long history of promoting from within the Red Bull Junior Programme and he follows in the footsteps of championship and race-winning drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and of course, Max Verstappen. 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 that challenge and deliver some outstanding results for us next year.'

/IANS