Will Liam Lawson get Red Bull’s support against Max Verstappen?
Liam Lawson will be looking to break the cycle of unsuccessful teammates to Max Verstappen at Red Bull this year.
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Liam Lawson and Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)
Red Bull has promoted Liam Lawson to partner Max Verstappen this season. The Kiwi driver will be tasked with matching the reigning world champion over the course of the year. Though, questions have risen whether Milton Keynes will provide ample support to its latest signing.
The Austrian team has struggled to find a teammate who can match Verstappen every race weekend. Sergio Perez remained in the squad since 2021, albeit struggling throughout his tenure. The Mexican driver had a whopping 280-points gap to Max Verstappen last season.
Nevertheless, Red Bull has put faith in Liam Lawson. The 22-year-old will compete in his first full season in Formula 1 alongside Verstappen, a massive challenge for any driver. It is likely that the Austrian team will have patience while managing its de-facto second driver this year.
Red Bull to shape Liam Lawson for F1 future
Lawson’s move to Milton Keynes is not just about the 2025 season. Red Bull does expect the Kiwi driver to be a better performer than Perez. However, the Austrian team has its sights set on the long term, potentially backing Liam Lawson in case Max Verstappen leaves the team.
Thus, Red Bull has a lot more at stake when it comes to the 22-year-old. Milton Keynes cannot afford to be reckless in handling his future, even if he has a slow start to 2025. Rather, Christian Horner and Helmut Marko would need to ensure that Lawson can stand on his feet by the early stage of the season.
If Liam Lawson can make a comeback from set backs, he would be the ideal driver for Red Bull. This would give leverage to Milton Keynes over Verstappen’s exit threats, that have arisen in recent years. Although, for such a case to happen, Lawson will need to ensure that he can successfully match targets set by the team.
Certainly, all eyes will be on Liam Lawson’s Red Bull debut this year. The 22-year-old will gain the spotlight on the grid instantly if he matches Max Verstappen. While Red Bull will likely ensure that Lawson feels comfortable even during rough times this year. It remains to be seen if the Kiwi driver can threaten Verstappen’s rule at Milton Keynes.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2375 Articles Published)