By Darian Lee Crowley
Yes, there are reports Red Bull will axe Liam Lawson after two races. Even by Dr Marko standards, this seems ridiculous.
Lawson qualified last for both races in China after Verstappen managed to get on the front row for the sprint race, and fourth for Sunday. This is one of the largest gaps between teammates seen in F1 history.
Ideally, Red Bull want a driver to get within two or three tenths of Verstappen to help his championship charge. They also want a driver they’re confident to back if Verstappen leaves.
They have struggled with this since Verstappen became the undisputed No. 1 driver in 2019 when Daniel Ricciardo left. Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon were both promoted from Toro Rosso and then dropped, given the ‘Daniil Kvyat ’treatment’.
Inexperience was given as the reason why they struggled, so Red Bull, despite having a second team, went outside of their own driver academy.
Sergio Perez had shown constancy during his years at Force India. Initially, it worked. Perez won several Grand Prix and played a crucial role in helping Verstappen to win the championship in 2021.
He had respectable pace but was not quicker than Verstappen, and the team won back-to-back constructors championships. However, around mid-2023 his decline started with a string of Q1 exits which developed into a farce by the end of the 2024 season, where Perez would sometimes be unable to get within a second of Verstappen.
Red Bull Shortlist Replacements for Lawson
Few doubted the decision to axe Perez, but his replacement was going to be complicated. Liam Lawson had shown promise. It seems as though Tsunoda’s Honda connections are hurting his chances of promotion with Red Bull’s upcoming switch to Ford.
Tsunoda, a more obvious replacement, has been overlooked. Maybe because of his aggressive style and erratic driving earlier in his career or perhaps due to his Honda connections ahead of Red Bull’s switch to Ford.
The problem for Red Bull is that their car is almost solely designed around Max Verstappen’s aggressive driving style. Drivers will often need time and patience to adjust to this change, neither of which Dr Marko has. (Unless your name is Sergio Perez.)
It has also been clear in the last 12 months that Red Bull’s main rivals have outmuscled them in the development war.
Even in Verstappen’s hands, he has found the car difficult to drive. He has frequently complained at the start of this season about the Red Bull’s handling.
These factors have led to the nightmare start for Lawson, who is also competing in his first full F1 season and around tracks he has never raced on before in a difficult car.
F1 Disqualifications Confirmed
It’s unlikely for the team to sack the Kiwi, and they will hope he can do better in Suzuka, a track he has raced on before. It is also ridiculous to sack a driver after two races when a rookie. Yuji Ide managed to get 4, while Nikita Mazepin got a full season before politics ended his career.
Yes, if Lawson keeps qualifying 20th, the team will have to look for new options. But reports after two races don’t help Lawson’s confidence, whether or not they are true.
Perhaps Red Bull need to realise they need to make changes in how they develop their car if they want 2 competitive cars. A lesson made more difficult with the departure of Adrian Newey and could be a lot more painful if Verstappen departs next year.
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