The confirmation that Liam Lawson will partner Max Verstappen at Oracle Red Bull Racing for the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship is now a key moment in New Zealand motorsport history. It is not just significant for the reason that he moves up into a top team partnering a multiple world champion, but also important for what lies ahead and the potential for a Kiwi driver to be in competition for points, poles, podiums even race wins.
Lawson is our tenth driver to make it to the F1 grid. Denny Hulme is our first (and only) World Champion (1967), only two have won Grand Prix (Bruce McLaren – four wins and Denny Hulme eight race wins), three have stood on the podium (McLaren, Hulme and Amon) while six have scored F1 points (McLaren, Hulme, Amon, Howden Ganley, Brendon Hartley and Liam Lawson).
Oracle Red Bull Racing is expected to compete and be competitive for race wins and both the Driver’s and Manufacturer’s titles in 2025.
Lawson has the talent to be on the grid, proving this in his 11 races with Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team. Now it will be about the ‘top-two-inches’ as it has become a mental game. His ability to adsorb and create pressure, to be in the right place at the right moment, to create and take opportunities, to perform alongside Verstappen given whatever unfolds each race weekend will now be about how strong he is mentally and we will probably have an idea of this after the first three races of the 2025.
2025 will be a year for Lawson fans to enjoy, savour and remember.
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