Christian Horner shares Liam Lawson revelation after brutal Red Bull demotion

Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has claimed it was not his decision to ruthlessly send Liam Lawson back to Racing Bulls just two rounds into the 2025 F1 season.

The New Zealander was switched with Yuki Tsunoda ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix last year, having failed to make it out of Q1 in qualifying or score a point across the curtain raiser in Melbourne and subsequent round in China.

At the time, Red Bull cited a "duty of care" towards the 24-year-old, claiming he was bereft of confidence.

However, whilst the Milton Keynes-based squad made it sound like a mercy killing, Lawson has always denied he was lacking in that area.

It was put down to the cutthroat nature in which the six-time F1 constructors' champions operated under the leadership of Horner, but he has since distanced himself from the demotion.

The Briton, who was fired from his position following the British Grand Prix, made the revelation on the upcoming season of the F1 docu-series Drive to Survive, in an interview after he was relieved of his duties, which put an end to two decades at the helm.

"It wasn't my choice," the 52-year-old responded when asked directly about the brutal call.

Whilst Tsunoda, who is spending 2026 on the sidelines, is older and more experienced than Lawson, Horner explained that he was pressured to opt for Red Bull juniors to partner star driver Max Verstappen, an approach that has hardly borne fruit for the team since Daniel Ricciardo left at the end of 2018.

Helmut Marko has since left the energy drinks-backed outfit, but was instrumental in the development of academy prospects and is directly responsible for 18 different drivers ascending to F1 over the past 20 years or so.

However, with the team built almost entirely around Verstappen and his preferences, the likes of Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon, both of whom have crafted strong careers in the championship's midfield since being dropped by Red Bull, struggled in what is generally considered the most difficult seat in F1.

The one exception to the rule was the experienced Sergio Perez, who lasted four years alongside the Dutchman before being jettisoned in place of Lawson.

"I was always pushed to take drivers from the young driver programme," Horner stated before pointing the finger at Marko: "Helmut was a big driver in it."