Is Max Verstappen ready to be pushed by Liam Lawson?
Max Verstappen might have a more difficult time with Liam Lawson compared to his former teammates at Red Bull.
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Liam Lawson and Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)
Red Bull has finally revamped its driver lineup. Sergio Perez has been replaced by Liam Lawson for the upcoming season. So far, Max Verstappen had a comfortable run at Milton Keynes with virtually no pressure from Perez. Now, things could change for the Dutch driver.
Liam Lawson has been promoted from RB to Milton Keynes, despite not having completed a full season in the sport. Red Bull seems to be impressed by the performances shown by the Kiwi driver and he could be the ideal future prospect for the team.
On the other hand, Max Verstappen has enjoyed the number 1 status at the Austrian squad since Daniel Ricciardo‘s exit after 2018. Thus, the four-time world champion might find himself in a difficult spot against Lawson in the coming months.
Max Verstappen won’t be happy to give up number 1 status
Verstappen has been the sole torch bearer for Red Bull in recent years, particularly in the past two seasons. Perez was nowhere close to the 27-year-old with a 280-point deficit last season. Liam Lawson’s promotion aims to fix this massive discrepancy at Milton Keynes.
Lawson is a promising young talent who sees his future with Red Bull. The 22-year-old could be the next Verstappen for Red Bull. As such, Milton Keynes would not be looking to restrict the Kiwi driver from day 1. Rather, he would encouraged to try and match his world-champion teammate.
If Liam Lawson succeeds in putting up a strong fight, Max Verstappen might get uneasy. The Dutch driver will not be happy if suddenly he is unable to get past the Kiwi driver. This could further cause tensions within the Red Bull camp. Although, Verstappen could fight back by pushing himself more, something that would be encouraged by Milton Keynes.
It is likely that Max Verstappen would be furious if Red Bull does not prioritize him in certain situations. Though, he would have to understand that the team doesn’t want another repeat of Perez. The easiest way for Verstappen to gain control back in such a case would to be to simply defeat Lawson on the track.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2325 Articles Published)