F1 Insider Reveals Liam Lawson Timeline To Prove Himself At Red Bull

Saajan Jogia | 7 Hours Ago

Oct 20, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team driver Liam Lawson (30) of Team New Zealand walks back to the paddock after the driver’s parade before the 2024 Formula One US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has revealed that Liam Lawson has "half a season" at Red Bull to prove himself, hinting that his performance will be assessed closely ahead of the summer break. His future beyond that will rest on his performance and whether it proves impressive enough to satisfy Red Bull.

Schumacher has advised Lawson to approach next season with caution, particularly given that his teammate will be Max Verstappen. Over the past seven years, three drivers, namely Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and Sergio Perez, have faced the intense challenges of partnering with Verstappen. Perez, whom Lawson will replace next year, has previously spoken about the high-pressure environment at Red Bull, where drivers are either expected to match Verstappen's performance or take on a supporting role.

Lawson earned his dream promotion to Red Bull after being assessed alongside Yuki Tsunoda in Red Bull's sister F1 team, VCARB. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted that it was Lawson's ability to perform under pressure that led him to secure the coveted seat alongside Verstappen. However, Schumacher told Sky Sports Germany, as quoted by PlanetF1, that the Kiwi driver has limited time. He said:

"In Formula 1, you don’t have a lot of time.

“I think he will get half a season.

“And if he shows it then, he will have a good seat.

“But next to Max Verstappen, that is quite a challenge."

Lawson explained that Red Bull's title contender is aggressive to drive, and Verstappen's racing prowess and confidence have made him the best person to handle the car. He said:

“I’ve driven the car over the last couple of years and done tests, and I can say the car is very aggressive and it takes a lot of confidence to drive it, honestly.

“And I think that’s where Max is obviously extremely confident as a driver.

“But, the main thing is just he’s the best in the world right now, so to go up against the best guy, is always going to be very, very tough.

“And ultimately, that’s probably the main reason that anybody has struggled so far to go up against him.”

The 22-year-old driver also dismissed reports of Red Bull's F1 car being suited to the four-time world champion's style of driving. He explained:

“In terms of driving styles, I don’t really know if I believe in it so much in terms of a driving style.

“I think you have certain things you like a car to do but I think also, for me, I spent a lot of time developing that car as well, as a junior and as a reserve for the last couple of years, and I feel like I understand quite well the way the car drives.

“But I also don’t fully believe in ‘This doesn’t suit your driving style’.

“I think as drivers, we’re professionals, we have to adapt to whatever we’re driving.”