Otmar Szafnauer questions Red Bull’s rush to bench Liam Lawson, suggesting the rookie deserved more time to prove his potential.
Szafnauer, former Alpine F1 Team Principal, believes Red Bull may have pulled the trigger too quickly when it decided to keep Yuki Tsunoda and drop Liam Lawson after only two races. But he also sees a silver lining for the young New Zealander.
“Some talented drivers never even get a shot at Formula 1,” Szafnauer said. “So even if moving from Red Bull to Racing Bulls feels like a step back, it’s still a seat in F1. And that’s valuable.”
Szafnauer sees Racing Bulls as a platform where Lawson can continue to grow. “He’s still developing. He can learn, gain experience, and put in solid performances. Who knows — if he keeps pushing, another shot at Red Bull could come later.”
But did Lawson get a fair shot to begin with?
“He clearly has potential,” Szafnauer added. “But was two races enough time to show it? Where was he in his learning curve? Maybe he needed more.”
Red Bull’s Risky Call Examined
He understands Red Bull’s tendency to make quick decisions — even if that means admitting a mistake.
“In this sport, you try to predict the future based on what you know. Then you get there, look back, and realize — maybe that wasn’t the right call,” he explained.
“It’s better to admit it and make a change early than stick with the wrong choice too long. If Lawson wasn’t showing enough in those two races, maybe it was the right time to act.”
Still, predicting how quickly a young driver will adapt is tricky. “That’s the hard part — trying to gauge the speed of their development. It’s not an exact science.”
Szafnauer also wonders what happens next if Tsunoda doesn’t deliver in the second Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen.
“You’ve made the switch — but was it the right one?” he asked. “Or should you have stuck with Lawson a bit longer? Again, it’s about predicting what’s next.”
He does think Tsunoda’s debut in Japan is well-timed.
“There’s probably no better place for him to start — he knows the track inside out,” Szafnauer said. “It’s a circuit where experience can make a big difference. Let’s see how it plays out. I understand the decision — but time will tell if it was the right one.”
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Szafnauer: Red Bull May Regret Dropping Lawson Early
Szafnauer: Red Bull May Regret Dropping Lawson Early
