New Zealander Liam Lawson will race for Red Bull alongside world champion Max Verstappen in 2025 following the team’s decision to ditch Sergio Perez. The announcement that Lawson was moving up from second team Racing Bulls came a day after Red Bull and Perez announced they had agreed a termination deal following a weak season by the Mexican. The 22-year-old moves into the F1 front-line after just 11 grands prix spread over two seasons.
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Sergio Perez is to leave Red Bull two years before the end of his contract after reaching a termination agreement with the team. The move comes after a weak season for the Mexican, who failed to win a race and finished on the podium only four times as team-mate Max Verstappen won his fourth world title. Perez, 34, is expected to be replaced by 22-year-old New Zealander Liam Lawson, in a promotion from the sister Racing Bulls team.
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Lando Norris secured McLaren’s first Formula 1 constructors’ championship for 26 years with victory in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Norris led from start to finish and his fourth win of the season was enough to seal the championship by 14 points, despite Ferrari finishing second and third with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton ended his Mercedes’ career with a fourth place finish ahead of teammate George Russell.
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Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg has been handed with a three-place grid drop for failing to follow the race director’s instructions by overtaking two cars on the pit exit road. The German had qualified in P4, setting him up for a strong start to the 58-lap race at the Yas Marina Circuit, but he will now be demoted to seventh on the grid behind Pierre Gasly and George Russell.
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Lando Norris took pole position at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri as McLaren put themselves in a perfect position to clinch their first constructors’ title since 1998. Norris headed Piastri by 0.209 seconds at the end of a gripping, topsy-turvy qualifying session at the final race of the season. Carlos Sainz took third place for Ferrari, who trail McLaren by 21 points heading into Sunday’s race with a maximum of 44 available.
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