Sports
Red Bull Stands by Lawson Amid Struggles in F1 Season
Red Bull is committed to supporting Liam Lawson despite his challenging start to the Formula One season, team principal Christian Horner confirmed after the New Zealander’s disappointing performance in China.
Lawson, who replaced Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen’s teammate, is under growing scrutiny following back-to-back point-less races. He failed to finish the Australian Grand Prix and placed 15th in Shanghai after starting from the pit lane. A poor qualifying session and a non-scoring sprint added to his woes.
Meanwhile, Verstappen remains second in the championship, heightening the pressure on Red Bull to maximize points from both drivers. With Yuki Tsunoda impressing at sister team Racing Bulls, speculation is mounting over a potential driver swap.
“Liam is a great racer—aggressive and determined. But he’s struggling to find the limit with this car,” Horner told Sky Sports. “As a team, we’re supporting him as much as we can.”
Red Bull is keen to reclaim the constructors’ title from McLaren, making it essential for both drivers to deliver strong results.
“You need both cars in play. You can’t fight a title battle with one driver,” Horner added.
Lawson acknowledged the urgency of the situation, admitting that Red Bull’s latest setup adjustments hadn’t worked in China. “I need to get on top of it quickly,” he said. “I want to be fighting at the front, and I’ll keep pushing to get there.”
Tsunoda, who was overlooked for the Red Bull seat, has hinted that he could perform better. However, Lawson dismissed the claim. “I’ve raced Yuki for years and beaten him before—even in F1,” he said.
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Horner, meanwhile, urged patience amid growing speculation. “We’ve just finished the race. We’ll analyze the data before making any decisions,” he told reporters.
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