Liam Lawson must rise to the challenge of holding his own against Max Verstappen in the same machinery. Several drivers, from seasoned veterans to young prospects, have failed to replicate the Dutchman’s efforts.
Lawson’s task is especially challenging in the context of Red Bull’s drivability issues over recent seasons.
Sergio Perez was vocal about his discomfort with the characteristics of the RB19 and last year’s RB20.
His concerns were then echoed by Max Verstappen, who was unhappy with the unpredictable nature of Red Bull’s 2025 challenger.
Despite this, Lawson refuses to give himself any excuses.
Lawson: It’s my job to adapt to the car Red Bull deliver
There are few drivers who will begin an F1 season in more unique circumstances than those surrounding Liam Lawson.
The Kiwi only has 11 Grand Prix under his belt – which he completed across two rather abrupt spells in 2023 and 2024.
Whilst Lawson was quick to acclimatise himself on both occasions, he is drawing from a very limited pool of experience ahead of his first Red Bull campaign.
Considering the struggles Verstappen’s teammates have consistently encountered, it is unclear how the 23-year-old will perform.
Speaking ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain, Lawson expressed confidence about his prospects:
“I think honestly… as a reserve, I’ve actually spent more time with Red Bull than with VCARB, technically,” he told GPblog.
“With the amount of time I spent just being reserve and going to the races with Red Bull and doing simulator work.
“I think having a driving style is, I guess technically we’re meant to be professionals – we’re meant to be able to drive what we’re given and maximise that.
“So I think for me, it’s not really so much of whether the driving style suits me or not.
“But it’s about how I make it work, I guess, and I’d like to think that I can do that.”
Red Bull’s need for a strong second driver
There is no denying that Red Bull have identified several top talents over the years.
From Max Verstappen to Carlos Sainz to Alex Albon, drivers across the field were once part of the Austrian team’s academy.
Despite this, there has been a consistent failure in recent years to make the correct decisions concerning their line-up.
Reinforcing Verstappen with a strong second driver is something Red Bull haven’t done successfully since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure in 2018.
Of course, this is not because they have lacked options.
Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg are among the free agents that Christian Horner’s team could have pursued – but they chose not to.
Overlooking these relatively solid options, not to mention Yuki Tsunoda, puts added pressure on Lawson to deliver.
Not only for Red Bull’s Championship aspirations, which are already in doubt considering their trajectory in 2024, but also to solve a persistent dilemma at Milton Keynes.
There is no denying that Lawson has speed, but the same can be said for Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly – who were both promoted with similarly limited experience.
This is not to suggest that Lawson is in an identical scenario, but there are certainly similarities. Ultimately, time will tell if Red Bull have finally constructed a more balanced driver line-up.
