After the sagas of Liam Lawson and Jack Doohan in the 2025 season, we have analyzed some of the most brutal layoffs in the history of Formula 1.
After only two races, Red Bull decided to dismiss Lawson as Max Verstappen partner and replace him with Yuki Tsunoda.
Neozyre Lawson has returned to Red Bull’s brother team, Visa Cash App Racing Bulls.
After the Miami Grand Prix last weekend, another pilot was fired, this time Doohan, who has been replaced by Franco Colapinto in Alpine.
Unlike Lawson, Doohan will not compete in F1 in the near future, since he will assume the role of Alpine Reserve pilot.
As a result of the aforementioned situations, we have selected some brutal dismissals that will be recorded forever in the history of F1.
Sébastien Bourdais – Red Bull/Toro Rosso
Red Bull is known for its direct and brutal approach, and that was manifested in its maximum splendor during the 2008 season.
After having difficulties in his brother team, Toro Rosso, Bourdais was replaced by the Spanish Jaime Algersuari.
When talking about his dismissal, Bourdais revealed that he received the news through text messages from the then team leader, Franz Tost.
He commented: “The way they got rid of me was very disappointing. He didn’t talk to me. He didn’t call me. Everything was done by SMS, which, for me, he had no style.”
However, Tost denied the accusations and declared: “I personally told Mr. Bourdais that he was not going to pilot anymore and did not write any SMS.”
Kevin Magnussen – McLaren
Magnussen faces the dismissal after ending in the eleventh place in the 2014 season.
The Danish was replaced by the two -time world champion Fernando Alonso and, in fact, they gave him the news on his birthday.
According to The Sun, the director of McLaren, Ron Dennis, asked his personal assistant to give him the news.
Magnussen said: “It was a short paragraph explaining that there would be nothing for me in the future. In fact, my birthday came.”
Nelson Piquet Jr – Renault
This was one of the most controversial incidents in the history of F1.
Renault decided to separate from Piquet after he failed to add a single point in the first half of the 2009 season.
The Brazilian responded to the team head, Flavio Briatore, and other members of the board, claiming that he was ordered to crash during the Singapore Grand Prix to help Alonso win the race.
After a series of legal investigations and procedures, it was revealed that Piquet said the truth.
Renault ended up receiving a two -year sanction from the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
Jolyon Palmer – Renault
In 2017, the British pilot Palmer was replaced by the Spanish Carlos Sainz in Renault.
However, no one seemed to have informed English, and Palmer himself admitted that he only realized his dismissal when he saw the news in Autosport.
He commented: “I knew when I read it in Autosport. And then I knew it was true; I talked to some people. That was all.”
