Latest news with #WorldConstructors'
NDTV
7 days ago
- Automotive
- NDTV
Red Bull Racing Sack Team Principal Christian Horner With Immediate Effect, End 20-Year Relationship
Six-time Formula 1 world champions Red Bull Racing have sacked long-time team principal and CEO Christian Horner after 20 years. Horner, who joined the team at its inception in 2005, has spearheaded the team to eight World Drivers' titles and six World Constructors' titles during his time. However, Horner has now been sacked with immediate effect, amidst a drop-off in performance during the ongoing 2025 F1 season, which has seen lead driver Max Verstappen fade away from the title battle. Red Bull have promoted Laurent Mekies and Alan Permane to the positions of CEO and team principal respectively, from sister team Racing Bulls. Red Bull have sacked team principal and CEO Christian Horner effective immediately, bringing an end to a highly decorated 20-year tenure at the helm of the Formula One team. The shocking news comes amidst what has been a turbulent year for Red Bull. After the departure of highly influential figures Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley and Rob Marshall, Horner becomes the latest to leave the team. 'The last year and a half has been an absolute privilege to lead the team with Peter. It has been an amazing adventure to contribute to the birth of Racing Bulls together with all our talented people. The spirit of the whole team is incredible, and I strongly believe that this is just the beginning. "Alan is the perfect man to take over now and continue our path. He knows the team inside out and has always been an important pillar of our early successes," Mekies said in a statement. In January 2005, Horner was appointed to head the team, becoming the youngest team principal on the grid at the time. Christian's first win as an F1 team principal came at the 2009 Chinese Grand Prix, a breakthrough that would lead to five more victories that season. Horner led the team to six Constructors' Championship title and eight Drivers' title since. Oliver Mintzlaff, managing director of Red Bull, said, "We'd like to thank Christian for his exceptional work over the last 20 years. With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing RBR as one of the most successful and attractive teams in F1" There has been turbulence in the Red Bull garage since the beginning of 2024. With rumours of Max Verstappen potentially leaving Red Bull for rivals Mercedes in 2026, this news further adds to the speculation on a potential exit for the reigning four-time world champion.
Al Jazeera
30-03-2025
- Automotive
- Al Jazeera
It's official: Red Bull axe Lawson for Tsunoda before Japanese F1 GP
Red Bull Racing says Liam Lawson has been axed and replaced by Yuki Tsunoda, confirming days of speculation just two race weekends into the F1 season. Tsunoda will take over from the struggling New Zealander starting at his home Japanese Grand Prix next week at Suzuka, Red Bull said in a statement on Thursday. Tsunoda, 24, moves up from the RB team to partner with four-time world champion Max Verstappen. Lawson will move back down to RB, where he was last season. Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, said: 'It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch. 'We came into the 2025 season with two ambitions, to retain the World Drivers' Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors' title and this is a purely sporting decision.' Lawson, 23, who was drafted in from RB in the winter to replace Sergio Perez, has endured a miserable start to the 2025 season. He has been knocked out at the first stage of all three qualifying sessions and has yet to score a point. Verstappen in the other Red Bull is second in the world title race with 36 points, eight behind early season leader Lando Norris of McLaren. 'We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Racing Bulls, an environment and a team he knows very well,' Horner added. Tsunoda has shown pace on both race weekends of the season. He was 12th in Australia and finished out of the points on Sunday at Shanghai only because of RB's flawed two-stop pit strategy. Tsunoda made his Formula One debut with AlphaTauri in 2021, becoming the first Japanese driver on the grid since Kamui Kobayashi in 2014. Tsunoda is the latest driver to pair up with Verstappen at Red Bull Racing. He will be the fifth teammate for Verstappen since Daniel Ricciardo left at the end of the 2018 season.
Dubai Eye
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- Dubai Eye
Red Bull promotes Yuki Tsunoda over Liam Lawson after 2 races
Yuki Tsunoda will replace Liam Lawson at the Japanese Grand Prix and going forward, Red Bull confirmed Thursday. The move to promote Tsunoda from its Racing Bulls team to partner with four-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen comes after Lawson struggled during both the Australian and Chinese Grand Prix. "It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch," Red Bull team principal and CEO Christian Horner said. "We came into the 2025 season with two ambitions, to retain the World Drivers' Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors' title and this is a purely sporting decision. "We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki's experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car. We welcome him to the Team and are looking forward to seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21. "We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a Team he knows very well." Lawson, 23, was selected in December by Horner to replace Sergio Perez, who reached an agreement to part ways with Red Bull after four years. Tsunoda was among those who was also in consideration for the seat, as was Isack Hadjar. However, the team ultimately decided to go with Lawson, who had been on the Red Bull junior team since 2019 and took over Daniel Ricciardo's seat during last season. The New Zealander entered 2025 with 11 F1 starts to his credit but has been unable to keep pace to begin 2025 in the RB21 car. Lawson failed to get out of Q1 in Australia and China and has yet to register a point for the team with P15 and P12 finishes. He was the slowest car on the grid during both the spring and qualifying sessions in China. Honda has been a significant proponent of Tsunoda's, reportedly offering millions of dollars for the 24-year-old Japanese star to get an opportunity to race alongside Verstappen in his fifth F1 season. Red Bull finished third in the 2024 constructors' championship, and currently sits behind McLaren and Mercedes two races into 2025. That's with Verstappen contributing all 36 points to the team so far. The Racing Bulls are ninth, with Tsunoda contributing all three of the team's points while showing impressive pace.
CNN
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- CNN
Red Bull announces driver switch just two races into new season, with Yuki Tsunoda replacing Liam Lawson
Red Bull announced on Thursday it is shifting its driver rotation around just two races into the new season. In a statement on its website, the team announced that Yuki Tsunoda will replace Liam Lawson as Max Verstappen's teammate in the Red Bull cars. The two drivers will swap roles, with Lawson taking Tsunoda's place in the Racing Bulls car – Racing Bulls is Red Bull's developmental team. 'It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch,' Red Bull team principal and CEO Christian Horner said in a statement. 'We came into the 2025 season, with two ambitions, to retain the World Drivers' Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors' title and this is a purely sporting decision. 'We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki's experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car. We welcome him to the Team and are looking forward to seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21. 'We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a Team he knows very well.' Lawson was given the spot alongside Verstappen at Red Bull after impressing during the latter stages of the 2024 season while racing alongside Tsunoda at Racing Bulls. The decision for Lawson to replace Sergio Pérez at Red Bull came as a surprise to many, with Tsunoda a far more experienced driver as he entered his fifth F1 season while Lawson had just 11 F1 races to his name. The move has drawn astonishment across social media and motorsport pundits with BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson calling it 'quite simply, extraordinary' and 'unprecedented.' But since making the step up, the 23-year-old has struggled mightily. He crashed out of the first race of the season at the Australian Grand Prix before finishing 15th at the Chinese Grand Prix – over 81 seconds behind race-winner Oscar Piastri – although he moved up to 12th following the disqualification of Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly. Conversely, Tsunoda finished 12th in Australia and 16th in China. Lawson has yet to score a drivers' championship point through two races while Tsunoda has three to his name. Now, Tsunoda will line up alongside Verstappen starting at his home race, the Japanese Grand Prix, on April 6. The 24-year-old will be Verstappen's sixth teammate at Red Bull. Last season, Tsunoda collected 30 of Racing Bulls' 46 points, calling it 'one of his best' seasons. Lawson returns to Racing Bulls where he will partner rookie Isack Hadjar. 'We're incredibly proud of Yuki earning his well-deserved move to Oracle Red Bull Racing! His progress last year, and more recently from the very start of 2025, has been nothing less than sensational,' Laurent Mekies, team principal of Racing Bulls, said. 'Personally, and collectively, it has been an immense privilege to witness those progresses for all of us in Faenza and in Milton Keynes. Yuki's energy and positivity has lightened up every corner of our factories and of our garage and he will always be a Racing Bull! We wish him all the success he deserves at ORBR. 'Everyone here at VCARB is looking forward to working hard with Liam to give him the best environment possible for him to shine in our car and to express the talent we all know he has. He fit in so well last year, and we cannot wait to challenge ourselves and grow as a team. With Isack having started so strongly with us already, we know we have a young and strong line-up.'
CNN
27-03-2025
- Automotive
- CNN
Red Bull announces driver switch just two races into new season, with Yuki Tsunoda replacing Liam Lawson
Red Bull announced on Thursday it is shifting its driver rotation around just two races into the new season. In a statement on its website, the team announced that Yuki Tsunoda will replace Liam Lawson as Max Verstappen's teammate in the Red Bull cars. The two drivers will swap roles, with Lawson taking Tsunoda's place in the Racing Bulls car – Racing Bulls is Red Bull's developmental team. 'It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch,' Red Bull team principal and CEO Christian Horner said in a statement. 'We came into the 2025 season, with two ambitions, to retain the World Drivers' Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors' title and this is a purely sporting decision. 'We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki's experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car. We welcome him to the Team and are looking forward to seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21. 'We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a Team he knows very well.' Lawson was given the spot alongside Verstappen at Red Bull after impressing during the latter stages of the 2024 season while racing alongside Tsunoda at Racing Bulls. The decision for Lawson to replace Sergio Pérez at Red Bull came as a surprise to many, with Tsunoda a far more experienced driver as he entered his fifth F1 season while Lawson had just 11 F1 races to his name. The move has drawn astonishment across social media and motorsport pundits with BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson calling it 'quite simply, extraordinary' and 'unprecedented.' But since making the step up, the 23-year-old has struggled mightily. He crashed out of the first race of the season at the Australian Grand Prix before finishing 15th at the Chinese Grand Prix – over 81 seconds behind race-winner Oscar Piastri – although he moved up to 12th following the disqualification of Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly. Conversely, Tsunoda finished 12th in Australia and 16th in China. Lawson has yet to score a drivers' championship point through two races while Tsunoda has three to his name. Now, Tsunoda will line up alongside Verstappen starting at his home race, the Japanese Grand Prix, on April 6. The 24-year-old will be Verstappen's sixth teammate at Red Bull. Last season, Tsunoda collected 30 of Racing Bulls' 46 points, calling it 'one of his best' seasons. Lawson returns to Racing Bulls where he will partner rookie Isack Hadjar. 'We're incredibly proud of Yuki earning his well-deserved move to Oracle Red Bull Racing! His progress last year, and more recently from the very start of 2025, has been nothing less than sensational,' Laurent Mekies, team principal of Racing Bulls, said. 'Personally, and collectively, it has been an immense privilege to witness those progresses for all of us in Faenza and in Milton Keynes. Yuki's energy and positivity has lightened up every corner of our factories and of our garage and he will always be a Racing Bull! We wish him all the success he deserves at ORBR. 'Everyone here at VCARB is looking forward to working hard with Liam to give him the best environment possible for him to shine in our car and to express the talent we all know he has. He fit in so well last year, and we cannot wait to challenge ourselves and grow as a team. With Isack having started so strongly with us already, we know we have a young and strong line-up.'
