Under the scrutiny of Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson is feeling the heat after a disappointing start to the Formula 1 2025 season. Verstappen has expressed his belief that Lawson may fare better in a Racing Bulls car than the Red Bull RB21 he is currently driving.
Lawson’s position at Red Bull seems to be in jeopardy following a dismal beginning to the season. He stumbled in Q1 at the Australian Grand Prix and ended up last in both the sprint and main races in China. His performance has indeed been lackluster in comparison to Red Bull predecessors like Daniil Kvyat, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Sergio Perez, leading to speculation about a potential shake-up in the Red Bull lineup ahead of the next race in Japan.
Despite the rumors, no decisive moves have been made regarding Lawson’s future in the Red Bull team. The young driver had ascended to a Red Bull seat in the F1 2025 season after just 11 races with the Racing Bulls, Red Bull’s junior team, in the 2023/24 seasons.
While discussing the Chinese Grand Prix, Verstappen shared his thoughts with Dutch publication De Telegraaf. He suggested that Lawson might have a better performance in the Racing Bulls VCARB02, which claimed seventh and ninth positions in Shanghai with rookie Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda behind the wheel. Verstappen stated that the Racing Bulls car is easier to drive, a sentiment echoed by Lawson himself.
Christian Horner, responding to Verstappen’s comments, agreed that the Racing Bulls car might be easier for Lawson to handle as it’s more stable. However, he also noted the difference in pace between the two cars during longer stints.
Interestingly, Yuki Tsunoda, who outqualified Lawson in all six races they competed as teammates in 2024, was not considered for a Red Bull seat in 2025. The Japanese driver had a taste of the Red Bull Racing experience during a post-season test in Abu Dhabi and expressed his readiness to step into the Red Bull car for his home race at Suzuka, stating that the car is faster and suits his driving style.
However, Lawson remains unfazed by Tsunoda’s apparent readiness to take his place. He dismissed Tsunoda’s remarks, citing his own victories over Tsunoda in junior categories and F1. Lawson also pointed out that Tsunoda had missed his chance at a Red Bull seat last winter and that it was now his time to shine.
As the Formula 1 2025 season continues, all eyes will be on Lawson to see if he can turn his performance around and secure his place in the fiercely competitive world of Red Bull Racing.
