Liam Lawson acknowledges Verstappen’s dominance but sees a Red Bull seat as a chance to learn from F1’s top driver.
The news could break quickly at Red Bull: Sergio Pérez might be sidelined from his race seat next year. To replace him, Liam Lawson is leading the pack, ahead of Yuki Tsunoda.
While the Japanese driver may arguably deserve the seat more from a sporting perspective, his ties with Honda and impulsiveness could work against him.
In this context, Lawson was interviewed by Planet F1 about his ambition and expectations for next year.
For instance, does he think he could measure up against Max Verstappen? Or at least perform better than Sergio Pérez, Albon, or Gasly?
“You can always look at it from the outside and think, ‘this is what they seemed to feel,’ but I don’t know what it was like for them (Max Verstappen’s teammates). I think for anyone going up against Max, you have to be realistic and acknowledge he’s the fastest guy on the grid right now. You’re not going to outqualify him by half a second.”
“That’s just not something that’s going to happen. For me, it’s more about the opportunity to learn from the best driver.”
Alongside Max Verstappen, Lawson expects to improve, if only by having access to data from the benchmark driver on the grid.
“For me, as a driver, being alongside a guy who’s won four world championships, who’s well-seasoned… he’s been in that car for a long time.”
“That car is almost… not developed around him, but he’s played a huge role in its development and understands it very well.”
“In terms of driving, everything is there on paper. When you see all the data he provides, for me, being alongside him and having access to all that, that’s what’s exciting about the opportunity… if it ever came my way.”
Lawson certainly seems calmer, more composed, and more assured than Yuki Tsunoda… and appears to handle pressure better.
“I think it’s something you’re either born with or not, perhaps.”
“I feel lucky to have been born with it, and I’ve always had that conviction.”
“Whether you’re in the midfield or at the front of the pack, honestly, it’s not very different… the performance you’re trying to achieve during a race weekend is always the best possible.”
“In qualifying, it’s about the best lap you can produce. Whether you’re in a top team or a midfield team, you can only place that car in a certain position on the grid.”
“But as long as you finish that lap feeling you’ve done your best, as long as you end the weekend knowing you’ve done your best, then the result will be what it will be.”
“So, in a top car, the approach doesn’t change. You aim to perform and execute the best job possible. The only thing that changes is the position you end up in.”
Lawson ‘aware’ of areas for improvement
Liam Lawson’s mid-season substitution for Daniel Ricciardo serves as a real-world test to evaluate his potential for next year.
“They [Red Bull] are very realistic. If I do a good job, they’re happy with the result. If not, they’re very clear about the areas I could improve. That’s why I’m here—to learn as well.”
“It’s still very early for me, and I want to have a long career in Formula 1. It’s important to have these conversations and to be aware of what I can improve. Thankfully, Helmut [Marko] has put pressure on me and criticized everything I’ve done as a driver for a long time. I think that’s helped me become stronger to face Formula 1.”
And what if he isn’t ultimately given a full-time seat at Red Bull? Or isn’t retained by the team in the medium term? Does Lawson have a backup plan?
“Honestly, no. But that’s how it’s always been for me.”
“I’ve always focused on Formula 1 and never really had backup plans.”
“That’s probably where I am now—I’m here to be a Formula 1 driver, and if that were to change, I’d reassess things.”
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Lawson Admits: Beating Max Is Unrealistic in Red Bull Setup Lawson Admits: Beating Max Is Unrealistic in Red Bull Setup
