Official Formula 1 Drivers' Championship standings for 2025

Sergio Perez Leaves Red Bull, Liam Lawson Steps In for 2025 Amid 300,000 Follower Drop

Dec 19, 2024, 02:30 PM

Red Bull Racing has announced the departure of Mexican driver Sergio 'Checo' Pérez after four years with the team, effective immediately. Pérez, who joined Red Bull in 2021, will be replaced by 22-year-old New Zealander Liam Lawson for the 2025 season. Pérez's exit comes after a challenging season where he finished eighth in the championship, 285 points behind his teammate Max Verstappen. Despite having a contract for 2025, an agreement was reached with the team for his departure. Pérez expressed gratitude to everyone at Red Bull and wished them well for the future. Lawson, who previously raced with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, will now partner Verstappen at Red Bull. The decision to choose Lawson over Yuki Tsunoda, who has been with Red Bull's sister team for four years, was influenced by Lawson's performance and resilience under pressure, according to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. The departure of Pérez has led to a significant loss of followers for Red Bull on social media platforms, with Instagram seeing a drop of around 300,000 followers within 24 hours of the announcement.