Liam Lawson’s recent performance challenges have ignited discussions about a potential mid-season driver swap within the Red Bull Racing team. Red Bull’s advisor, Helmut Marko, expressed concerns following Lawson’s underwhelming qualifying sessions, notably his 20th place in Shanghai.
Marko hinted at the depth of talent within Red Bull’s junior academy, comparing Isack Hadjar’s impressive performances.
“This is not what we expected. We will discuss it calmly. We still have a few drivers among us [Red Bull Junior Academy] who can recommend themselves. Thank god we are in a good position.
“Let’s look at the positives: Isack Hadjar, who has never driven on this track before [Shanghai], is banging out incredible times in his second race, making no mistakes. What he has shown so far is absolutely fascinating. The sun [Hadjar] and the shadow [Lawson] are close together, so we’ll see what happens.” said Marko
Lawson’s struggles have led to speculation about his future with the team. Marko’s comments suggest that Red Bull is considering all options, including a potential mid-season replacement, stating;
“Formula 1 is a competitive sport. Ultimately, that’s what counts.”
Team Principal Christian Horner has also weighed in, emphasizing the importance of Lawson’s role in supporting lead driver Max Verstappen. Horner highlighted that Lawson is expected to be a consistent points scorer and assist Verstappen when necessary, reflecting the team’s strategic approach to maintaining their competitive edge.
Horner spoke to Sky Sports after Saturday’s disappointing qualifying session;
“It’s been a tough day for him today at the office, so we’ll have a good look at it and go through it. Obviously, we’ll try to give him the best car we can tomorrow,” Horner told Sky Sports.
There has been much talk and controversial speculation about Red Bull’s second car. Is the car driveable? Would someone like Tsunoda or Hadjar do better or face the same struggles? Tsunoda is competing well in Racing Bulls, but essentially, the second Red Bull car is set up like Max’s car in a way that suits the aggressive driving style of the Flying Dutchman, an aggressive driving style that no other driver on the F1 grid has, including Tsunoda.
Lawson’s teammate Verstappen has a theory about why Lawson could be struggling.
Given that Lawson showed a similar pace to Yuki Tsunoda during his six-race audition last season and that this year, the Japanese driver is qualifying inside the top ten, Verstappen believes the Racing Bulls F1 car is easier to drive than the Red Bull.
The Red Bull’s car set-up has been reported to have more front grip than the rear, creating a ‘nervous, unstable rear end’, which is one of the factors Lawson looks to be struggling with looking back at his in-car footage. Lawson is seen to be consistently correcting the rear instability, which means that he can’t ‘switch the tyres’ on, which won’t equal a fast lap time. In other instances, Lawson is struggling with tyre temp, as is half the F1 field, as reported on several team radios.
As the season progresses, Lawson faces the critical task of improving his performance to secure his position within the team. The possibility of a mid-season driver swap underscores the high-pressure environment of Formula 1, where teams continually assess and optimize their driver line-ups to achieve the best results.
With drivers like Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar waiting in the wings, Lawson is likely facing the most pressure an F1 driver his age has ever faced in recent times.
Header Image: Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
