Drive to Survive shows Liam Lawson’s dismay after Red Bull were booed at F1 launch event

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Liam Lawson was shocked that Red Bull were booed at F1’s season launch event in 2025. His reaction is revealed in the new season of Drive to Survive, which releases on Friday.

Lawson made one of his first public appearances as a Red Bull driver at the O2 Arena just over a year ago. He had been announced as the replacement for Sergio Perez after the 2024 season had concluded.

There were audible boos when he appeared on stage alongside Max Verstappen and the then team boss Christian Horner.

The FIA were unhappy at the hostility towards Red Bull, which may dissuade the team from taking part in similar events going forward.

Liam Lawson was stunned that Red Bull were booed in London

According to the New Zealand Herald, the Netflix microphones picked up Lawson saying, ‘Wait, how? In London?’ after the boos.

Red Bull may be an Austrian brand, but the team have operated from a base in Milton Keynes since they entered F1 in 2005. Many of their staff, from top to bottom, are British.

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It’s likely that much of the hostility stemmed from the 2021 season, when Verstappen and Horner were involved in a bitter title battle with national hero Lewis Hamilton. Many of Hamilton’s fans have still not come to terms with the way the season ended in Abu Dhabi.

According to The Times, Toto Wolff couldn’t resist enjoying the frosty reception for his sporting nemesis. Red Bull were surprised that Wolff wasn’t jeered when he went on stage.

A characteristically nonchalant Verstappen is heard saying, ‘I don’t give a f—‘, while Hamilton simply adds, ‘S—.’

What Christian Horner says about Liam Lawson demotion in Drive to Survive

Of course, the biggest storyline at Red Bull in the early part of the season concerned Lawson’s future. His inability to escape Q1 or compete for points in the first two rounds raised immediate internal doubts.

Lawson would be demoted back to Racing Bulls just two rounds into the season, with Yuki Tsunoda called up in his stead.

During an interview with the Netflix crews, Horner denies that it was his decision, instead suggesting Helmut Marko was the ‘big driver’ behind the swap.

“I was always pushed to take drivers from the young driver programme,” he explains. “Helmut was a big driver in it.”

Neither Horner nor Marko will be part of the Red Bull set-up this season. The former was sacked in July, while the latter left at the end of the year by mutual consent.