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      F1 stars’ dizzying 2025 salaries revealed with Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton earning nearly DOUBLE nearest rival

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN and Lewis Hamilton top the list of Formula One’s highest earners – as they prepare for another Championship battle. Seven-time world champion Hamilton is preparing to make his Ferrari debut after a shock switch from Mercedes.Max Verstappen remains F1’s top dog – both on the track and earningsCredit: GettyLewis Hamilton has made the switch to Ferrari for the upcoming seasonCredit: SplashIt leaves George Russell as Mercedes’ top driver – and he has the salary to prove itCredit: GettyHamilton will be behind the wheel for the first time at the season opener in Melbourne on March 16.The 40-year-old has penned a two-year deal with the Italian giants.And it sees him earning a staggering £48million ($60m) as he targets an eighth world crown.Reigning champion Verstappen will pocket the most cash in 2025 – just as he did last year. READ MORE ON F1The Dutchman is given £52m-a-year ($65m) by Red Bull, with his current deal running for a further three seasons.In sharp contrast, Verstappen’s new teammate Liam Lawson, 23, will pocket just £800,000 ($1m)Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc bags £27m ($34m), over £20m less than new team-mate Hamilton.While George Russell, now the top dog at Mercedes, will earn a cool £12m ($15m).Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSLando Norris had a season to remember in 2024 with four wins and a second-placed overall finish. His lucrative deal with McLaren runs until next year – and he currently bags £16m ($20m) in annual salary.Lewis Hamilton visits Ferrari HQ as he arrives at Maranello for his first official day with the Scuderia At the other end of the spectrum, both Jack Doohan of Alpine and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar will take home £700,000 ($850k) this year.And Lance Stroll’s open contract with Aston Martin sees the 26-year-old earn £2.3m ($3m) each season.Verstappen’s dominance of the sport in recent years has seen him win four consecutive titles. He won nine races last year – the least of any of the last four seasons. Verstappen admitted: “Last year has been challenging at times.”Of course, we had a lot of good moments, of course, also some tough moments.”I hope that we can be, let’s say, a little bit more stable and a little bit more all-round throughout the season.”Ex-F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone recently gave his opinion on whether Hamilton could challenge Verstappen in his Ferrari.And the 94-year-old pulled no punches with his response.Ecclestone told The Telegraph: “Hamilton won’t last [two years].F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Liam LawsonFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and Isack HadjarHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon”Piero Ferrari, who has taken him there, still thinks they’ve done the right thing.”I hope they have. I hope they haven’t just jumped in and end up wishing they hadn’t.”Verstappen and Hamilton will join the rest of the F1 drivers for a special event on February 18. For the first time in the sport’s history, all ten teams are coming together to unveil their new liveries.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe 2025 F1 1 season begins with a double-header, starting with the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne on March 16.Just a week later, Shanghai will host the Chinese Grand Prix on March 23. More

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      I helped build F1 car driver tragically died in – I wasn’t prepared for that and it broke me, says Drive to Survive star

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      F1 ENGINEER Calum Nicholas says he was left “broken” by the death of Jules Bianchi after his Japanese Grand Prix crash.The Red Bull engineer worked with the French F1 driver at Marussia as a mechanic back in 2011 – his first job in the paddock. Calum Nicholas has helped Max Verstappen win the last four drivers’ championships at Red BullCredit: GettyNicholas worked at Marussia with Jules Bianchi at the time of his Japanese Grand Prix crash in 2014Credit: PA:Press AssociationDuring the 2014 Japanese GP, Bianchi lost control of his Marussia and clashed with a recovery vehicle.The weather conditions in Japan at the time were treacherous and delayed the race from getting underway.Following the collision, Bianchi suffered a diffuse axonal injury which is caused by severe damage to the head.Bianchi spent nine months in a coma before tragically passing away in 2015.READ MORE F1He was the first F1 driver to die from injuries that occurred during a Grand Prix since Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna.Safety in the sport has come on leaps and bounds since then, with the introduction of the halo and clearer communication when a recovery vehicle is used. That hasn’t helped Nicholas shake Bianchi’s death from his memory though.Nicholas collected the wreckage of the car from the FIA garage and broke down in tears.Most read in MotorsportIn his book, Life in the Pitlane, he writes: “I was not in any way prepared, at the age of 24, to have been responsible for building a car that somebody later died in.“Regardless of the cause of the crash not being a mechanical fault, the guilt of having been one of the mechanics responsible for that car broke me for a little while.”’I’m not myself, please forgive me’ – Shaken F1 legend Eddie Jordan, 76, apologises live on radio after cancer treatmentSince leaving Marussia at the end of that season Nicholas has become a familiar face on Netflix’s hit show Drive to Survive as a key engineer in Max Verstappen’s pit crew.As part of the Red Bull driver’s team, Nicholas has helped propel Verstappen to four straight F1 world titles.The Brit has also worked with Lewis Hamilton on the Hamilton Comission, a research project into diversity in motorsport conducted by the seven-time world champion. Nicholas was a part of the Marussia team when Bianchi crashedCredit: Getty More

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      ‘Beginning of the end’ – Ex-F1 star convinced Max Verstappen’s Red Bull destined to fail with ongoing Horner feud

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      GERHARD BERGER believes Red Bull are destined to fail if Christian Horner and Helmut Marko continue feuding. The duo have locked horns on numerous occasions throughout the past two seasons, with Horner even reportedly wanting Marko out in 2023. Christian Horner has been under pressure over the last yearRed Bull advisor Helmut Marko has locked horns with Horner over team choicesThe feud could affect Max Verstappen’s bid for a fifth straight titleThis continued into last year with the pair clashing over Red Bull’s driver line up for the upcoming season. Marko, who is a senior adviser at Red Bull and head of the driver development programme, is said to have preferred Liam Lawson while Horner was keen on Franco Colapinto after he replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams. Berger, who was the first F1 driver to be sponsored by Red Bull and later co-owned Toro Rosso, said: “It is often the beginning of the end when such topics dominate.”Formula 1 is so complex and so competitive that you can only be successful if everyone in the team puts their shoulders to the wheel, if everyone agrees and communicates well with each other.”READ MORE F1 NEWS”The Red Bull brand always exudes happiness and a cool image. Suddenly everything changed. “Completely atypical for the team, there were no more clear statements.”Marko also stuck the knife in when saying that Max’s dad Jos was a “bigger fan” of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff than Horner last term.The father of Red Bull’s star driver Max Verstappen publicly called for Horner to leave the team last season after he had been accused of inappropriate behaviour by a female colleague.Most read in MotorsportCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSHorner was cleared by a Red Bull investigation, but Wolff publicly tried to sign the reigning world champion amid the unrest. Berger has also slammed Red Bull’s handling of Sergio Perez’s exit after the Mexican driver’s chaotic season. Hollywood star Idris Elba invests in brand new Formula E team as he reveals ‘deep and personal’ reason for decision Gerhard Berger has a history with Red Bull RacingPerez suffered a disastrous fourth and final season with Red Bull last year as he finished on 152 points to his team-mate Verstappen’s 437, which put a massive dent in Red Bull Constructors’ Championship hopes. When asked about the situation with Perez, Berger added: “You could see that things were no longer working well. “Nobody in this business understood that he was given another contract then. “There could have been reasons like marketing or the contract situation.”But when things did not improve after that, they gave him three more races and then two more, and refused to take a decision. “I couldn’t see a clear line there. In Mateschitz’s time, Red Bull was always known for its clarity.”F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Liam LawsonFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and Isack HadjarHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More

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      ‘Something he’s longed to do’ – Fans convinced Max Verstappen will QUIT F1 after huge update from iconic motorsport team

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      FANS are convinced Max Verstappen will make a stunning career switch after an iconic motorsport team announced a major update.On Friday morning it was revealed Ford would be returning to the field in the World Endurance Championship.Ford have announced they are returning to Endurance racing with the aim of winning Le Mans in 2027Credit: ReutersFans are convinced the move could see Max Verstappen switch motorsport disciplinesCredit: GettyVerstappen has admitted he wants to try other racing disciplinesCredit: GettyThe statement revealed Ford would be joining the Hyperclass type of cars in 2027.Ford have already revealed they will begin their new technical partnership with Red Bull in 2026, when they will develop a next-gen Formula One power unit for Red Bull Racing and sister team VCARB.Ford’s return to F1 followed a 20-year hiatus, while Ford’s latest move into Endurance Racing will see them compete in races such as Le Mans for the first time in 60 years.The company dominated Le Mans in the late 1960s in a fierce rivalry with Ferrari, who have won the last two events and are the third-most successful team overall behind Porsche and Audi.READ MORE IN F1Fans are convinced this move will ultimately facilitate an incredible change of career for four-time F1 world champion Verstappen.Speculating on social media, one fan said: “I wonder if this move of Ford’s to return to #WEC will be Red Bull-backed and that gives Max Verstappen an exit strategy which keeps affiliated with both brands whilst also doing something he’s longed to do?”If they can’t have him in #F1, at least have him in endurance.”A second said: “Red Bull will have a Ford partnership in 2027. Just saying, Max Verstappen is out there.”Most read in MotorsportJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSA third added: “Hoooo boy. Imagine if Ford got Verstappen to drive for them (Ford and RB engine connect) and [Lewis] Hamilton drives for Ferrari WEC program.”It would be a real fever dream for fans to see the two most successful F1 drivers of the last decade facing off once again on the back of one of motorsport’s most well-known rivalries in one of its most famous races.Max Verstappen buys £12million super yacht called ‘Unleash the Lion’ that’s 108-foot long and boasts own beach club Verstappen has openly flirted with the prospect of switching motorsport disciplines, suggesting he was eager to race at the Daytona International Speedway one day.Speaking last November, he said: “I know that I want to do it in the future anyway, but it’s just about finding the time.”With such a busy F1 schedule, it’s almost impossible because we finish so late in the season and then to properly prepare where you have to run Daytona or whatever, is pretty impossible.”I know that when I want to do it, I want to go there and try to win it, be really competitive. “The only way to do so is by doing some proper testing and get really well prepared, which is not possible at the moment.”But, who knows? Maybe in a few years’ time. I’ll still be young-ish and I’ll be able to drive the cars.”F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Liam LawsonFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and Isack HadjarHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban OconVerstappen has raced in the virtual series of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and revealed he had been contacted by “certain people” about racing in it in real life as well.He said: “Of course, you get contacted by certain people, but it has to come at the right time and in the right way.”I don’t want to rush into a decision either. With those new cars, I think it will take at least another one or two years before it’s all better understood because at the end of the day, it is still a Balance of Performance story and that makes it difficult.”The last driver to compete in both Le Mans and F1 in the same season was Nico Hulkenberg in 2015.In 2023 Verstappen also courted the idea of moving over to motorbikes, saying: “I will race longer, but not in Grand Prix races.”It would be nice to do it like Valentino Rossi, I like to see his races in GT, a category I have an interest in because we have our own car entered.READ MORE SUN STORIES”He did everything he could in MotoGP, with a crazy career, and now he’s having fun, while still working hard and wanting to win again. I think I will look for something similar in the future.”Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club. More

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      Max Verstappen buys £12million super yacht called ‘Unleash the Lion’ that’s 108-foot long and boasts own beach club

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN is making waves after splashing £12MILLION on a new super yacht.The four-time Formula One world champion has flexed his financial muscles by splashing out on the incredible boat.Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet have taken ownership of a new super yachtCredit: RexThe couple were seen in Italy’s Overmarine shipyardCredit: https://x.com/BRredbullracingThere they took ownership of the vesselCredit: https://x.com/BRredbullracingThe cost for it is estimated to be around £12mCredit: https://x.com/BRredbullracingIt is a Mangusta Gransport 33Credit: https://www.youtube.com/@MangustaYachtsAnd it has suitably been named ‘Unleash the Lion’Credit: https://www.youtube.com/@MangustaYachtsVerstappen and partner Kelly Piquet were seen at the Overmarine shipyard in Italy to check out their extravagant new purchase.And there the Dutchman was seen with his 33-metre Mangusta GranSport 33, suitably named: “Unleash the Lion” for the first time.The showstopper yacht was commissioned two years ago and is big enough to host TWELVE guests.According to reports, the marine behemoth has five staterooms and three cabins for crew members.READ MORE IN F1On top, there are multiple lounging areas and a spacious sundeck while also having a BEACH CLUB at its stern for easy access to water.Monaco harbour will be the perfect home for the yacht given it is close to where Verstappen lives and the stunning weather there.The yacht is the latest purchase of Verstappen’s super toy range.He previously splashed out on a Dassault Falcon 900EX private jet.Most read in MotorsportJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSMeanwhile, his car collection is conservatively estimated to be worth around £4.9m ($6m), including a private collection of James Bond cars.Verstappen isn’t the only F1 driver to have splashed the cash on a new yacht, with Fernando Alonso doing the same with a 60 Sunreef Power Eco yacht early last year.Geri Horner and Kelly Piquet steal the show as they join Christian Horner and Max Verstappen at plush FIA AwardsIt features a spacious interior with a sundeck and lounging areas on the exteriorCredit: https://www.youtube.com/@MangustaYachtsIt can accommodate up to 12 guestsCredit: https://www.youtube.com/@MangustaYachtsIt also has a beach club at the sternCredit: https://www.youtube.com/@MangustaYachtsThere are fears it could be an indicator of retirement before longCredit: https://www.youtube.com/@MangustaYachtsHowever, former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan believes buying a yacht is an indicator of retirement.He told the Formula For Success podcast: “I just feel now he [Alonso] is probably calculating.“He’s bought a new boat, that’s often an indication to me because I know you [David Coulthard] bought a boat at the time and then retired gracefully after that, and I did the same.“People have a habit of buying boats and retiring. So let’s see what happens.”Verstappen threatened to quit Red Bull last year amid the power struggle between Christian Horner and dad Jos.His contract with the Racing Bulls runs to 2028, but Aston Martin were forced to deny reports last week that Verstappen was set to join them in a deal worth £1billion.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Liam LawsonFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and Isack HadjarHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More

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      Aston Martin deny sensational claims they are targeting Max Verstappen in stunning £1billion deal from Red Bull

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      ASTON MARTIN have denied they are targeting MAX VERSTAPPEN in a colossal £1BILLION deal.The four-time world champion’s future at Red Bull was the subject of strong speculation throughout 2024 due to the team’s internal power struggles, which even saw Verstappen threaten to quit.Max Verstappen is being targeted in a £1bilion deal by Aston Martin, reports suggestCredit: AlamyAston Martin have ambitious plans to win the world championship but have denied the claimsCredit: Aston MartinThey are backed by billionaire Lawrence Stroll, who has already poached Adrian Newey to his teamCredit: PAMercedes were one of the main teams linked to the Dutchman following their own bombshell news that Lewis Hamilton was quitting the team for Ferrari for 2025.But according to Mail Sport, Aston Martin have told potential sponsors that Verstappen will join them as part of their ambitious bid to win the F1 world championship.The reported deal would be worth up to £1bn, making it one of the most lucrative in F1 history.Sources suggest Jefferson Slack, a close confidant of billionaire team owner, Lawrence Stroll, has made pitches to would-be investors claiming the 27-year-old will join them.READ MORE IN F1It is reported a figure as high as £200m a year may be needed to prise Verstappen away from Red Bull.And given his success at Red Bull and the £50million a year deal currently pinning him there until 2028, the claim seems more of a desire than a fact.An Aston Martin spokesperson categorically denied the story.The team also have Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll contracted through to 2026.Most read in MotorsportJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSWhy snapping up Adrian Newey is such a coup for Aston MartinSpeaking about his future, Verstappen said: “Did I have doubts about my future at Red Bull at that stage? Well, the feeling wasn’t quite 100 per cent. There was a lot going on. “But, on the other hand, I don’t think that if something goes wrong, you can just say: I’m leaving. That’s not how I am.”Verstappen’s future last season was clouded thanks to an internal Red Bull civil war between his father, Jos, and team advisor Helmut Marko in one camp and team principal Christian Horner in the other.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Liam LawsonFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and Isack HadjarHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban OconAston Martin has already poached legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey – who left during the power struggle – from Red Bull in a £20m a year deal.It is the final season before a major regulation change in 2026 that will feature smaller cars, 100 per cent sustainable fuel and a redesigned power unit.Verstappen will partner Liam Lawson when the new season gets underway at the Australian Grand Prix in March.He claimed his fourth driver’s title last year but saw his team finish third in the constructors’ championship following a string of poor races by Sergio Perez.Meanwhile, Aston Martin were the best of the rest as the top four teams; McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes hoovering up the top spots across the season.Alonso finished ninth in the driver’s championship with 70 points, while Stoll ended in 13th with 24. More

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      Max Verstappen beaten to 2025 F1 title as supercomputer predicts Lewis Hamilton to enjoy major resurgence with Ferrari

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      MAX Verstappen is tipped to miss out on a fifth-straight world championship title, according to a F1 supercomputer.Lando Norris is pipped to beat the Dutchman this time around, with Lewis Hamilton set to enjoy a major resurgence with Ferrari.A supercomputer has predicted Max Verstappen to miss out on the next world championship titleCredit: AFPSeven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is expected to finish in third placeCredit: GettyVerstappen clinched his fourth successive F1 world title in November, taking him level with the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost.But the 27-year-old was challenged all the way by McLaren star Norris, who fell short in the final stages.And now the CardPlayer.com tech whizzes have forecasted a change in fortune for Norris.They believe the Brit will finish eight points ahead of the Red Bull No1 in the 2025 season.READ MORE IN F1Norris is predicted to amass 380 points over the course of the year, which the supercomputer believes will be enough to narrowly beat Verstappen to glory.Meanwhile, Hamilton is predicted is to resurrect from the shadows with a third place finish – but could find himself at least 41 points behind Verstappen.Many high-profile figures in the sport have questioned whether the legendary Brit still has what it takes after finishing seventh in 2024.But the AI calculator clearly believes the seven-time champion can make a success of his Ferrari spell.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe crystal ball technology foresees Hamilton, who celebrated his 40th birthday on January 7, to out-score new team-mate Charles Leclerc by 56 points.The Frenchman is predicted to rank fifth and behind Hamilton’s old Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who finished sixth in 2024. Start of F1 races will look very different in 2025 with major change for first time in over a decadeOscar Piastri is tipped to finish sixth, one place ahead of youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli ,who looks set to enjoy a breakthrough debut season with Mercedes. That would make him 17 points and one place better off than Verstappen’s new Red Bull partner Liam Lawson who rounds off the top eight.The Formula 1 supercomputer has also predicted a dramatic final day-showdown at the end of a thrilling 2025 title race.The F1 drivers’ championship was last decided at the last race of the season in 2021, when Verstappen edged out rival Hamilton in highly controversial circumstances. Norris has been tipped to win his first F1 world title in 2025, beating Verstappen to the crownCredit: EPAAnd a similarly tight title race is predicted for this year too, but with a less satisfying result for the Dutchman.CardPlayer stated: “The supercomputer simulates the outcomes of the 2025 Formula 1 season, predicting driver and constructor standings based on probabilities derived from a strength model. “It uses a predefined race calendar and a scoring system to allocate points for race finishes and sprint events.READ MORE SUN STORIES”Drivers’ chances of achieving specific positions are calculated based on cars’ and drivers’ strengths, and results for each race are simulated. “This is done 10,000 times for the matrix, and then the model picks one simulation for its prediction of the 2025 season.”F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Liam LawsonFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and Isack HadjarHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More

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      Red Bull announce 22-year-old will be Max Verstappen’s new team-mate hours after Sergio Perez axe

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      LIAM LAWSON has been announced as Max Verstappen’s new Formula One team-mate.The news comes following Red Bull’s axing of Sergio Perez on Wednesday.Liam Lawson has been named as Max Verstappen’s new team-mate at Red BullCredit: RexSergio Perez had a poor season partnering the four-time world championCredit: PALiam Lawson impressed across six races at Red Bull’s sister team Visa CashApp RBCredit: GettyPerez, 34, had a poor season in the second Red Bull seat, finishing eighth in the World Drivers Championship and seeing the constructor finish down in third in the World Constructors Championship.Following months of speculation, Perez’s exit from the Racing Bulls was announced, with 22-year-old Lawson being named as his replacement to pair with Verstappen from 2025.New Zealander Lawson joined the F1 grid in 2024 as a late-season replacement for Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull’s sister team Visa CashApp RB (VCARB), managing to score four points over the final six races of the season.His first stint in F1 had arrived in 2023 when he was subbed in for Ricciardo following injury.READ MORE IN F1A statement from Team Principal Christian Horner said: “Liam’s performances over the course of his two stints with Racing Bulls have demonstrated that he’s not only capable of delivering strong results but that he’s also a real racer, not afraid to mix it with the best and come out on top.”On the move, Lawson said: “To be announced as an Oracle Red Bull Racing driver is a lifelong dream for me.”This is something I’ve wanted and worked towards since I was eight years old. It’s been an incredible journey so far.“I want to say a massive thank you to the whole team at VCARB for their support, the last six races have played a huge part in my preparation for this next step.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS“I also want to thank, Christian [Horner, Red Bull boss], Helmut [Marko, Red Bull Motorsport Adviser] and the whole Red Bull family for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.“I am super excited to work alongside Max and learn from a World Champion, I have no doubt I will learn from his expertise. I can’t wait to get going!”Geri Horner and Kelly Piquet steal the show as they join Christian Horner and Max Verstappen at plush FIA AwardsSavage sackings in F1THE world of F1 can be savage, with employees discarded like used tea bags.Danish driver Kevin Magnussen was a rising star of the McLaren team when he made his debut in 2014 alongside Jensen Button.But when he finished the season trailing in eleventh place, he was swiftly replaced by two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso.Instead of breaking the bad news to him in a face-to-face meeting, boss Ron Dennis got his assistant to send Magnussen a short and impersonal email.Worst still, the curt message landed in Kevin’s inbox on his 23rd birthday.Read more tales of F1’s brutal world including one boss who was labelled an ‘executioner’ and a driver dumped by a brisk TEXT.Red Bull had narrowed their list to partner Verstappen to promoting one of Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda, before ultimately choosing the Kiwi driver despite the Japanese driver’s own impressive full year.Being the partner driver to Verstappen in the main Red Bull team has been a notoriously difficult task for many drivers.However, with just 11 races in F1 under his belt, Lawson is the least experienced of the lot, with Alex Albon having had just 12 races and Pierre Gasly having 26 before their ill-fated stints with Red Bull.Lawson’s now former team, RB, said in a statement: “Liam has truly impressed with his performances, showcasing his resilience, adaptability, and growing confidence as he navigated the challenges of a highly competitive grid. “Although his time with us has been brief, Liam has made a real impact, earning the respect of everyone in the team. “We want to thank Liam for his dedication and all the effort he’s given during his time with the team. “We wish him the best of luck as he takes on this exciting new chapter with Oracle Red Bull Racing, and we look forward to watching his growth in the sport. We’ll see you on the track old sport!”Lawson’s move leaves one seat up for grabs on the 2025 F1 grid.However, it is expected that F2 runner-up Isack Hadjar – another driver from the Red Bull driver academy – will fill the remaining seat.The first race of the 2025 F1 season will be held in Australia on March 16.Lawson, who joined the Red Bull driver academy in 2019, will be one of five full-time debutant drivers on the grid next season.Britain’s own Ollie Bearman landed a full-time seat with Haas for next year after a number of strong substitute appearances for both Haas and Ferrari across the season.READ MORE SUN STORIESThree stars – so far – will be driving F1 cars competitively for the first time when the lights go out in Melbourne next spring.Those are Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes successor, Kimi Antonelli, McLaren junior, Gabriel Bortoleto at Sauber and Alpine Academy driver, Jack Doohan, who will drive with the parent team.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Liam LawsonFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and TBCHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More