Christian Horner, Red Bull’s Principal, is standing firm in his decision to support rookie Liam Lawson following a challenging start at the squad. Lawson’s recent performance in China, which saw him secure a second consecutive P20 qualifying position, raised questions about Horner’s choice to replace seasoned driver Sergio Perez.
Lawson found himself at the bottom of the grid for the Sprint on Saturday, a position he’ll have to become familiar with, as he was eliminated in the initial round of Grand Prix qualifying later that day. This is a tough pill to swallow for Lawson, especially considering he had never navigated a lap around the Shanghai International Circuit prior to this weekend. His performance was a stark reminder of his inexperience in only his second race with Red Bull.
Lawson candidly admitted his performance was underwhelming. “It was not good enough,” the young racer confessed as he braced himself to start last in the upcoming races. Despite the setback, Lawson managed to climb to 14th place by the conclusion of the Sprint, and is now tasked with the challenge of scoring points in the Chinese Grand Prix.
Horner faced tough questions regarding his decision to swap the experienced Perez for rookie Lawson. “It’s been a challenging day at the office for him,” Horner responded to Sky F1 after the qualifiers, promising to review the situation and provide Lawson with the best possible car for the next race. However, when Sky’s Ted Kravitz pointed out that Perez was replaced to bring in a faster driver, and questioned whether Lawson was indeed quicker than Perez, Horner sidestepped the direct query, stating, “We’ll review the situation and do everything possible to support him.”
Meanwhile, at the head of the pack, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen qualified in fourth place, aiming to add another podium finish to his title defense. Verstappen candidly acknowledged the superior speed of the three cars ahead of him – two McLarens and George Russell. Despite this, Horner remains optimistic about the Chinese Grand Prix, citing the potential for strategic opportunities due to the tyre sensitivity at the circuit.
Horner commented on the team’s overall performance, noting that the competition at the front was tightly contested. Despite being slightly off the pole and facing tyre-related challenges, Horner expressed optimism. He highlighted the sensitivity of the tyres and the varied graining seen in different cars during the Sprint race. He firmly believes that strategy, not pole position, will be the determining factor in the race, with particular emphasis on the management of the front left tyre.
