Liam Lawson has been dramatically demoted from Red Bull after just two races into the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The 23-year-old New Zealander has been sent back to Red Bull's second team, Racing Bulls, with Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda moving in the opposite direction.
The shock switch comes after Lawson failed to score a single point in the opening races in Australia and China.
Lawson has expressed his shock at the decision, telling Sky Sports: "It was definitely a shock, honestly. It's not something that I saw coming."
Liam Lawson has explained his shock at being dropped by Red Bull
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The Kiwi driver was blindsided by the move, adding: "The discussions we were having weren't really leaning in this direction, so it was definitely not something that I expected."
He admitted feeling frustrated at the lack of time he was given to prove himself.
Lawson cited difficulties with the RB21 car as a major factor in his struggles.
"The car is hard to drive," he insisted. "But we were going through a process of making that adjustment."
He believed more time would have helped him improve, particularly at familiar circuits.
"A lack of time in the car is what made it hard to adjust," Lawson explained. "It felt like every time I went out, I was adjusting or getting used to something unknown."
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner explained the difficult decision to demote Lawson.
"Of course, it's horrible because you're taking away someone's dreams and aspirations, but sometimes you've got to be cruel to be kind," Horner said.
He admitted the team had misjudged the situation: "I think we've asked too much of you too soon."
The engineering team had raised concerns about Lawson's struggles, with Horner adding: "We could have left it... but we just don't have that amount of time."
Liam Lawson was brutally axed by Red Bull on Thursday
GETTYLawson's time at Red Bull began poorly when he qualified 18th at the season opener in Australia before crashing out in wet conditions.
His struggles continued in China where he qualified last for both the sprint and the Grand Prix, finishing 14th in the sprint and 12th in the main race.
These disappointing results prompted Helmut Marko, Red Bull's motorsport director, to admit the team "made a mistake" in signing Lawson.
Despite the setback, Lawson remains optimistic about his future prospects.
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Christian Horner admitted the decision to drop Liam Lawson was a tough one
Getty"Yes, definitely," he said when asked if he could regain the Red Bull seat.
"It was part of the conversation, part of how they let me know about the switch."
Lawson maintains he was ready for the opportunity but lacked sufficient time to prove it.
"From my side? I was ready but I didn't have enough time," he stated. "If that pathway leads me back to Red Bull, that's great for the team and for myself."
