Max Verstappen Takes Subtle Shot At Liam Lawson: 'The Name in the Other Cockpit Won't Matter'

Saajan Jogia | 15 Hours Ago

Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App RB talks to Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 08, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) / Red Bull Content Poo

Max Verstappen has taken a subtle shot at his new 2025 teammate Liam Lawson by prioritizing the 2025 RB25 F1 car over him. The four-time world champion said that Red Bull could dominate the F1 grid again if it provided the drivers with a well-balanced car this year, regardless of who filled the seat in the other car.

Verstappen's statements arrive following a challenging 2024 F1 season for Red Bull, where it lost the top two positions in the Constructors' Championship to McLaren and Ferrari. The Dutchman also encountered grave challenges in his championship battle that came under threat from Lando Norris. While he managed to secure his fourth championship title, the season served as a warning to Red Bull to up its game considering a tightening grid.

The 27-year-old's seven race wins in the first ten races of the 2024 season added the much-needed advantage in his championship fight but as the RB20 F1 car's dwindling balance began to show its colors, teams like McLaren and Mercedes were already winning races. While Verstappen's then-teammate Sergio Perez was being targeted for his form, the car's problems were only highlighted after the championship leader began to face them.

Unfortunately for Perez, the points disparity between him and Verstappen paved the way to his Red Bull exit after the Abu Dhabi season finale, leading Red Bull to replace him with Lawson. The Kiwi driver showcased stellar performances in 2023 while performing reserve driver duties for Red Bull's junior F1 team driver, Daniel Ricciardo.

His points performances led him to secure a seat with the same team last season, as Red Bull assessed him alongside Yuki Tsunoda for a potential promotion in the event that Perez was ousted. Eventually, the Milton Keynes outfit decided to replace Perez with Lawson. The 22-year-old now faces the formidable challenge of keeping pace with his multi-time champion teammate. However, Red Bull has alleviated some of the pressure by positioning him as a supportive driver to Verstappen, with a primary focus on boosting the team's overall points tally.

However, Verstappen has reckoned that it does not matter who occupies the second seat as long as Red Bull hands both drivers a fast car capable of leading the pack. Speaking in an interview with Blick, as reported by Motorsportweek, he said:

“If we can get the car back to the front, the name in the other cockpit won’t matter.

“I don’t have a crystal ball, but if we can rectify certain weaknesses over the winter, we’ll be back at the front. But I’m certainly not making any predictions here.”

“Five teams should be fighting at the front. The weaknesses have been narrowed down.

“We often lacked the necessary balance because we simply couldn’t get into the low-temperature window.”