Sergio Perez gets fired

Sergio Perez and Red Bull have officially parted ways this week, ending their partnership after four seasons together.

The decision came after a challenging year for the Mexican, who started strong but struggled following the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, scoring just 48 points in the final 17 races. His inconsistency was a factor in Red Bull finishing third in the Constructors’ Championship despite Verstappen’s dominant performances.

Though Perez signed a two-year contract extension earlier this year, both sides agreed it was time to move on. The team praised Perez for his contributions, including five race wins and helping secure two Constructors’ titles.

Reports suggest Perez may stay involved with the team as a driver ambassador, allowing him to remain part of Formula 1 without the pressures of competing.

Liam Lawson steps up

Last Thursday, Liam Lawson was confirmed as Red Bull’s second driver for the 2025 season, securing the seat alongside Max Verstappen after the team decided to part ways with Sergio Perez.

The 22-year-old New Zealander earned Red Bull’s trust through standout performances as a reserve and substitute driver for both Red Bull and its junior team, RB (formerly AlphaTauri).

Lawson initially gained attention last season, stepping in for Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri following the Australian’s hand injury. This year, he replaced Ricciardo full-time after the Singapore Grand Prix, scoring points in two races and holding his own against experienced drivers, including Sergio Perez.

Despite Yuki Tsunoda outqualifying Lawson in most head-to-head sessions and scoring more points, Red Bull favored Lawson’s potential and adaptability for the future.

Isack Hadjar takes last empty spot on the 2025 grid

A day after, Red Bull confirmed that Isack Hadjar will race for their sister team, VCARB, in the 2025 Formula 1 season, partnering with Yuki Tsunoda.

Hadjar earned his promotion after an outstanding 2024 Formula 2 campaign, where he secured feature race victories in Melbourne, Imola, Silverstone, and Spa-Francorchamps, finishing second in the championship behind Gabriel Bortoleto.

The 20-year-old French-Algerian has been a long-time member of the Red Bull junior program and gained F1 experience in 2023, debuting during FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

He further impressed in free practice sessions for Red Bull and VCARB, as well as in post-season testing in Abu Dhabi, where he outpaced Tsunoda in identical machinery.

This led Red Bull to choose him for the seat, despite talented drivers like Franco Colapinto were in the game at some point.

Valtteri Bottas returns to his old team

This week, Mercedes also confirmed that Valtteri Bottas will return to the team as a reserve driver for the 2025 season.

This follows Bottas's departure from Sauber after the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as the team opted for a new lineup with Nico Hulkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto.

Bottas had raced for Mercedes from 2017 to 2021, securing all 10 of his career wins and 20 pole positions. After leaving Mercedes, he joined Sauber (formerly Alfa Romeo) in 2022, where his performance was mixed—achieving a strong 10th-place finish in 2022 but failing to score points in 2024.

As Mercedes' reserve driver, Bottas will attend most races, supporting the team’s drivers, George Russell and debutant Andrea Kimi Antonelli.