Red Flags & White Lies: Racing Bulls’ Rise in F1, Liam Lawson’s Red Bull Demotion and Redemption, and Isack Hadjar’s Breakout Season

Racing Bulls has always been known as Red Bull Racing’s sister team, a junior outfit designed to develop young talent and prepare future Formula 1 champions like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. But under new leadership, that identity is starting to shift.

In this episode of Grand Pricks, we unpack Racing Bulls’ transformation across the 2024 and 2025 Formula 1 seasons. After a difficult 2024 campaign that ended with P8 in the Constructors’ Championship, the team entered 2025 determined to fight higher up the midfield under team principal Laurent Mekies. With rookie Isack Hadjar and experienced driver Yuki Tsunoda, the season started positively, before everything changed just two races in.

Liam Lawson was abruptly demoted from Red Bull Racing and swapped with Tsunoda, a move that sent shockwaves through the F1 paddock and reshaped Racing Bulls’ season. What followed was a slow but impressive resurgence.

Hadjar unlocked his potential with a standout rookie campaign, securing Racing Bulls’ first podium since 2023 and earning a promotion to Red Bull for the 2026 season. Lawson also rebuilt his reputation, delivering consistent points finishes, contributing to a rare double-points result in 2025, and securing a new contract with Racing Bulls for 2026.

The drama didn’t stop on track. Midway through the season, Christian Horner was sensationally sacked, triggering major leadership changes across Red Bull’s F1 teams. Laurent Mekies stepped up to become Red Bull team principal, while Alan Permane took charge at Racing Bulls, continuing the vision of developing young drivers while making the team genuinely competitive.

With Racing Bulls finishing P6 in the 2025 Constructors’ Championship, the foundations are firmly in place for an even stronger future. Featuring real race audio, driver clips, in-depth analysis, and discussion, this episode tells the full story of Racing Bulls’ rise and why they are no longer just Red Bull’s feeder team.

About the Series: Over ten episodes, Grand Pricks explore every 2025 Formula 1 team in depth, unpacking the drama, decisions, and defining moments, both on track and behind closed doors. Starting from last place in the Constructors' Championship to first, we reveal the stories you didn't see on race day.

New episodes weekly. Subscribe now.

Follow us on socials:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandprickspodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandprickspodcast/

X: https://x.com/grandprickspod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Grandprickspodcast

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.