With the 2025 Formula 1 season right around the corner, Liam Lawson is set to make his full-time debut with Red Bull. The Kiwi driver was drafted into the second Red Bull seat after the team decided to part ways with Sergio Perez.
While Lawson is being touted as a future world champion, the Milton-Keynes-based team are also set to benefit from his signing simply because of how much less they will have to shell out for the New Zealander’s salary compared to Perez’s. Per RacingNews365, Lawson is set to receive $1 million.
In stark contrast, Red Bull paid Perez a staggering $12,000,000 for his services every year. This means that Red Bull will save at least $11 million per year in salaries alone.
However, that would not mean much if Lawson cannot deliver on the track. Red Bull lost $18 million last year in prize money after they finished third in the Constructors’ Championship as opposed to winning it in the previous season.
Therefore, they would prefer to pay Lawson a higher salary if he is able to meet expectations rather than simply save by replacing Perez. However, the one major benefit that Red Bull did receive by having Perez on their side was the number of lucrative sponsorship deals he brought for the team.
“It’s a pretty cool Christmas present!” Liam Lawson reacts to joining Red Bull for the 2025 season pic.twitter.com/NgjH9t4LJu
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) December 19, 2024
Red Bull sees sponsor portfolio change after Perez’s exit
Soon after Red Bull confirmed that Perez will depart the team, their sponsorship section saw a huge change. The likes of Telcel and Claro — who were brought to the team by Perez — have departed. Red Bull also lost one of their biggest sponsors, Bybit, earlier this year.
However, the team’s sponsorship department has worked hard to bring in new players to fund the team’s exploits. The Milton-Keynes-based outfit has onboarded the likes of AvaTrade and Neat to their portfolio which will go a long way in patching up the $50 million-a-year hit they took when they ended their partnership with Bybit.
Having said that, despite the loss of big sponsorship money, Red Bull will not have much to worry about. After all, their most recent era of dominance in the ground effects regulations in F1 have made them one of the most sought-after teams after the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren.
