Kiwi Supercars driver Matt Payne has come to the defence of long-time friend Liam Lawson as questions swirl around the Kiwi driver’s future in Formula 1.
Teammate and four-time world champion Max Verstappen has scored 36 points in Australia and China. Lawson has yet to score a single point in 2025 as he struggles with Red Bull’s second car, which is reportedly the problem. Speculation has gone wild over whether his Red Bull seat could already be in jeopardy.
Payne and Lawson have a long history, having grown up on the same street in Pukekohe, New Zealand. Though Payne’s family had deep motorsport roots, it was Lawson’s determination to follow his friend’s path that set him on the road to F1 success.
With social media and pundits scrutinizing Lawson’s early-season struggles, Payne didn’t hold back in calling out the criticism, describing it as “terrible” and suggesting it would be a shame if Red Bull cut ties with him so soon.
“I’m really quite annoyed that a lot of people are getting into him about it, and basically saying some horrible stuff about him,” Payne said on the upcoming Drivers Only podcast.
“He’s proved himself countless times, jumping into the car after Daniel [Ricciardo] broke his thumb and basically just getting in there and doing the job.
“There was no real hint that he wasn’t good enough at that time. Even getting in after he replaced Daniel eventually, and out-qualifying Yuki Tsunoda. The results are there.
“Was always gonna be tough because he is up against Max; everyone knows for the last five, six years he’s been the benchmark in that car. And the old story goes, the second driver really struggles to adapt to it.
Payne highlighted the challenge of being Verstappen’s teammate, pointing out that the car seems to be tailored to the Dutchman’s driving style—a setup that has proven notoriously difficult for any second driver to master.
“It looks like it’s almost made around Max to suit his driving style, which, as we know, it’s super hard to copy someone else when it’s not your natural style.
“I think he is just finding it really difficult at the moment to get the lap time out of it. It would be a real shame if he was gonna get dropped after two rounds.”
Lawson, who was promoted to a full-time Red Bull seat for 2025 after replacing Sergio Perez, is now facing immense pressure just two rounds into the season. However, Payne argues that a driver swap wouldn’t solve Red Bull’s current struggles.
“I really enjoy seeing him in there doing it,” Payne said of Lawson at Red Bull.
“I think what’s interesting is that back when Max was winning every race and stuff, Checo [Perez] was finishing fifth or getting a podium. But the difference is now, it’s not like Max is just winning and Liam’s nowhere. Yes, he’s outside the points, but Max is finishing fifth.
“There’s a lot of things that aren’t also going Red Bull’s way at the moment. I don’t think just chucking another driver in instead will fix all your problems. If it was that easy, everyone would do it.
“They’ve done it countless times, and look what’s happened. I think putting Tsunoda in would definitely not improve the situation. If anything, it takes away a great opportunity for Liam to show what he’s got in the next few races.”
Lawson has previously credited Payne as one of his biggest influences in motorsport, and the two have remained close over the years.
In 2021, Lawson engineered Payne at the New Zealand Grand Prix. As Lawson’s F1 career faces its first major test, Payne is standing by his friend, urging Red Bull to give him the time he deserves.
Header Image: Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ
Original story posted by James Pavey from Supercars
