Max Verstappen F1 News: Red Bull star SNUBBED by team-mate as Hamilton earns top pick

Liam Lawson, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton — Photo: © IMAGO

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Verstappen SNUBBED by Red Bull team-mate as Hamilton earns top pick

Max Verstappen will be joined by a new F1 team-mate in 2025

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Sunday 23 February 2025 19:56

Max Verstappen has been sidelined by his new Red Bull Formula 1 team-mate Liam Lawson ahead of the upcoming 2025 season.

Verstappen and Lawson will both debut as team-mates at the Australian Grand Prix, which will kick off the new campaign in just three weeks time.

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2024 brought both success and disappointment for the Red Bull F1 team as star driver Verstappen claimed his fourth consecutive drivers' championship, yet the team could only manage a third-place finish in the constructors' standings.

Christian Horner's outfit were toppled off their top spot in the championship by McLaren and as the performances from former driver Sergio Perez continued to rapidly decline, Ferrari eventually overtook them as well.

In hope of being able to challenge McLaren to regain their constructors' crown in 2025, Red Bull dropped Perez from their ranks at the end of last year and instead promoted junior driver Lawson to partner the Dutchman this year.

Liam Lawson has been promoted to race for the main Red Bull team alongside Max Verstappen this season

Liam Lawson will debut as a Red Bull driver at the Australian GP on March 16

Click here to purchase the 2025 Red Bull kit ahead of what could shape up to be the most competitive season yet.

Lawson opts for exciting Hamilton partnership

As the newly promoted F1 driver prepares for his first full-time season in the sport, a clip has emerged of Lawson making an interesting choice between his new Red Bull partner Verstappen and the Dutchman's former rival, Lewis Hamilton.

The seven-time champion infamously lost the 2021 title on the last lap of the Abu Dhabi GP to Verstappen, with the Red Bull star having won every drivers' championship since.

Following Hamilton's iconic move to Ferrari this season, fans, pundits and even the British legend himself have proposed that a championship battle could be on the cards for Hamilton should the Ferrari machinery be capable of competing with the likes of Red Bull and McLaren.

Could we see a surprising return to the top for Lewis Hamilton in 2025?

Verstappen has already fallen at the first hurdle in the eyes of Lawson it seems as his new team-mate has chosen Ferrari star Hamilton over his fellow Red Bull racer in a lighthearted social media video.

Ahead of the 2025 season, Lawson took part in a cheeky game of 'you have to answer' with ESPN, where the 23-year-old had to choose between two options in a variety of hypothetical scenarios.

The F1 star warmed up by answering whether he preferred a wet or dry race, a day or night race and Monaco or Vegas.

With the easier options out of the way, the Kiwi racer was then asked if he would rather spend a night out with legend Hamilton or a night in with new ally Verstappen.

Appearing initially perplexed at the question, Lawson chuckled before admitting: "Night out with Lewis."