Günther Steiner believes Lawson deserves a final chance to prove himself at Suzuka before Red Bull makes any decisions.
Should Red Bull Racing continue to trust Liam Lawson? The question seems almost settled, given recent reports and Dr. Marko’s promise of an announcement today (read more here).
However, according to Günther Steiner, it would be a rash decision by the Austrian team to replace Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda right before the Japanese Grand Prix.
Steiner Questions Lawson’s Red Bull Performance
The former Haas F1 team principal emphasizes how well Lawson knows Suzuka, and that could provide a more accurate evaluation of his abilities.
But marketing considerations—such as the appeal of having a Japanese driver in a Red Bull Honda at his home Grand Prix—could likely prevent the New Zealander from securing a third race in the top team.
How should the blame be split between the driver and the team? Is the RB21 too tailored to Verstappen?
“I think this is a problem unique to Liam Lawson. If you’re half a second slower than your teammate, that’s already quite a bit slower,” Steiner explains.
“But if it’s over a second, that’s a significant gap. I don’t know the exact reason, but when Lawson joined Racing Bulls, he did a respectable job, no issues there. But at Red Bull Racing, he simply hasn’t been able to perform at the same level.”
“Maybe he’s putting too much pressure on himself? That could be it. It’s simply too much pressure.”
Steiner: Lawson Deserves Suzuka Opportunity
For Steiner, swapping Lawson out for Tsunoda at the Japanese Grand Prix wouldn’t allow for a proper evaluation. Lawson is very familiar with Suzuka, having raced there extensively in Super Formula.
“I’d say, give Japan to Lawson. ‘Oh, he’s never raced in Australia. He’s never raced in China.’ Fine, but let him race in Japan. He knows the track, so at least we’ll know how good he is there. No more excuses, no more unknowns. He knows Suzuka, he’s raced there in Super Formula with very fast cars.”
“So, if he performs well, at least he’ll have a chance. If he doesn’t do well in Japan, then it’s time to replace him. That’s my opinion. And they have a solution. The solution is simple: swap seats with Tsunoda. But doing it before Japan, without having the full answer, would be a shame if it’s not handled properly.”
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Red Bull Must Trust Lawson at Suzuka, Says Steiner Red Bull Must Trust Lawson at Suzuka, Says Steiner
