Former Formula One driver and pundit Ralf Schumacher has criticized Liam Lawson after Red Bull recently dropped him from its driver lineup and placed him in its junior F1 team, Racing Bulls. Schumacher said Lawson was “replaced like a wet rag after two races” and that he would not have given him another chance if he was in charge.
Lawson was being assessed alongside Yuki Tsunoda at Racing Bulls (then VCARB) during the second half of the 2024 season. Following Sergio Perez’s exit, he was promoted to Red Bull. However, the first two races of the 2025 season saw him struggle with the RB21 F1 car, which is reportedly suited to Max Verstappen’s driving style.
The New Zealander’s P20 qualifying for the sprint and main race in China, and a non-points race finish led Red Bull to take drastic action. However, Schumacher has revealed a bold opinion on Lawson’s two-race Red Bull stint and questioned what he would do at Racing Bulls. He told Sky F1 Germany:
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“It’s difficult, of course, because you think: ‘I’ve made it, I’m now in one of the best teams, and I have a year to prove myself.’ And then, after two races, you get replaced like a wet rag. If I can put it that drastically, then I have to be honest: It’s tough.
“On the other hand, I’m surprised he’s doing at Racing Bulls now. Honestly, there are plenty of young drivers who could have been used there. I wouldn’t have put Liam Lawson in a Formula 1 car at all. I would have preferred to give the opportunity directly to a young driver – there are plenty waiting in the wings. Because one thing is also clear: He’ll probably never become a top driver, and in a situation like that, you might as well just go to the next in line and try your luck.”
Addressing Red Bull’s decision to swap drivers after just two races, Schumacher added:
“For me, it still all seems a bit reckless. And I think Red Bull urgently needs to draw conclusions from this. I think it’s just not really working together anymore. Christian Horner also seems to have made the wrong decision – I’m sorry to have to say it like this. We’ll hopefully ask him at the next race, or at the latest the race after that, whether he would make the same decision again.
“In my opinion, he backed the wrong horses, lost the good people – and this is the result. So, in terms of management, it was and still is really bad. And as for the young drivers: Red Bull invests so much time and money in developing them, and Dr. Marko often has a lucky hand.
“But now I have to say, this isn’t a total failure, but it’s also not far from Dr. Helmut Marko, who pushed Liam Lawson too hard. And I think two races are simply too few for a young driver. They should have worked with him more. That’s why I say: The whole thing is senseless, and I’m genuinely surprised. And what we can’t ignore is that they’re also destabilizing the Racing Bulls, who were doing great. But it seems to make absolutely no difference what’s happening there.”