Lawson's seat already at risk? Edd and Jon from the Chinese GP
Added 2025-03-22 11:57:34 +0000 UTCWe understand Liam Lawson's Red Bull seat is already at risk - Edd Straw and Jon Noble have the latest from the Chinese Grand Prix media centre, exclusively for you to enjoy on Patreon.
Comments
Really enjoying these videos. I’m trying out the 90% discount month, and I can already tell you you’ve got a new long term subscriber. Keep it up!
Fábio Teixeira
2025-03-25 19:19:03 +0000 UTCIs there any info on how the Red Bull sim drivers are doing? Presumably they can drive with Max's style and help fine tune the setup over the weekend? What are they doing that Liam isn't?
Bobby Dazzler
2025-03-23 18:56:11 +0000 UTCWhere is the Live Hub?! Nothing on Friday, or Saturday and now not even a link in the Menu?
Trayan Sarafov
2025-03-23 06:01:39 +0000 UTCQuestion: How realistic is it that Red Bull would promote Hadjar over Yuki if they drop Lawson? Melbourne emotions aside ( a perceived weakness by Helmut), his performance has been uber impressive. They have been very firmly against Yuki for whatever reason, so it seems there's a non-zero chance of this happening.
928pilot
2025-03-23 01:50:47 +0000 UTCJust like we shouldn't add any unnecessary danger to motorsport, we shouldn't add any unnecessary pressure. Remember how Franz would say drivers need two or three full seasons? Helmut doesn't.
Zach Buchowski
2025-03-22 22:07:25 +0000 UTCSign. Bottas. Now
Nate B
2025-03-22 19:20:24 +0000 UTCThe worst thing about this is that it's entirely predictable. Jon is right that F1 is elite sport but I'm with Edd that this feels like the root cause is nothing to do with the poor sod in the second car.
Simon Emms
2025-03-22 18:08:41 +0000 UTCI'd add the 94 Benetton to that, although there were perhaps reasons that weren't obvious at the time (eg, Lehto's broken neck).
Simon Emms
2025-03-22 18:06:58 +0000 UTCI think Yuki has been really performing well but I am concerned that if he gets stuck in the Red Bull the same thing that happened to Liam and everyone else will happen. It is very clearly a difficult car to drive that is only tamed by Max's insane ability. Yuki may end up worse off in the standings in the Red Bull rather than the Racing Bulls
Evan Patipa
2025-03-22 18:06:53 +0000 UTCI'd say perhaps the most obvious is Benetton in 1994 – Schumacher scored 92 points and was champion, while his three different teammates contributed a grand total of 11 points between them. And that was with Schumacher having been disqualified from two races and banned from two more.
TMB
2025-03-22 18:06:34 +0000 UTCSlightly off subject but just want to say I'm really enjoying these little snippets you guys are posting from location. Almost feels like I'm there with you! Cheers
TMB
2025-03-22 18:02:25 +0000 UTCThe only examples that springs to mind would be Senna at Lotus, maybe Brabham with Piquet?
Daniel Ross
2025-03-22 17:51:40 +0000 UTCI can’t help but believe that the Red Bull has just been tailor-made for Verstappen’s preferences and now only he can get a decent time out of it. Lawson is clearly a competent driver, but cannot get a single competent lap out of it; not even in practice! Is there any other historical example of a car being this severely driver-specific?
Angelo Rustichini
2025-03-22 17:27:54 +0000 UTCThe big problem is, what if Verstappen leaves next year. How on earth are they going to find someone who can drive a car developed only for Max to drive?
Manuel Adolfo Díaz Villa
2025-03-22 17:20:14 +0000 UTCOr Honda during Márquez’ final championships, tbh. In 2019 the three non-Márquez Hondas had an average finishing position of P11, while Márquez won twelve races and finished second in another six. The writing was on the wall.
TV Room Raccoon
2025-03-22 16:56:26 +0000 UTCRed Bull is today where Ducati was with Casey Stoner few years ago. Undriveable car with one champion masking the obvious.
Jean francois Autret
2025-03-22 16:35:21 +0000 UTCThe thing is, the constructor’s championship is gone. RB’s only hope is that Max GOATs his way to the WDC. Why not just rotate drivers until one of them does okay. Yuki next, then Hadjar, then Danny Ric, bring back Checo?! They’re still paying him! Lean into the drama - we love it 😍
Matt
2025-03-22 16:35:09 +0000 UTCSeems like the RB21 is an absolute shed of an car and max compensates by brilliance. Can't be a coincidence that a New second driver is again struggling so badly
Ben
2025-03-22 16:05:49 +0000 UTCRed Bull should focus on developing a car that's drivable by any other driver. Otherwise they will be in really big trouble once Max is gone. Reminds me of Benetton after Schumacher left in 1996.
Steinegr
2025-03-22 15:40:10 +0000 UTCAgreed, particularly if Yuki then encounters the same sort of struggles that have dogged his predecessors while Liam essentially does what Tsunoda has been doing at RB. What on earth do they do then?!
Darryl Finch
2025-03-22 14:42:15 +0000 UTCThis would be a ridiculous decision to already remove Lawson out of the Red Bull after 2 races. It tells more about management as it does about the driver. What would be an eye opener for Red Bull if Yuki gets the drive but Liam in a Vcarc out performs both Hadjar and Yuki, will be a tell all on the Red Bull car and how it maybe over tailored to Max
Joslyn Dresen
2025-03-22 14:03:07 +0000 UTCYes I totally agree. Even though Yuki seems open to take the seat anyway (better compensation likely is in the mix as well), I really start wondering whether there is something wrong with that car. If ever Max leave, would that mean they are actually losing the only driver that can extract decent performance from that platform ?
Victor Floc'h
2025-03-22 14:02:22 +0000 UTCI think any driver could be forgiven for not wanting that seat at this stage. Kvyatt, Gasly, Albon and Perez. None of them are bad drivers. It has to be something else.
Matthew McMahon
2025-03-22 13:22:27 +0000 UTCA GR "Blimey" is called for! Or "crikey" - whatever he said.
Keir Thomas
2025-03-22 13:15:01 +0000 UTCRock solid!
Edd Straw
2025-03-22 13:13:49 +0000 UTCI think if he were in a racing bulls car he’d want to do everything he can to show what he can do. But it would be a problematic situation
Edd Straw
2025-03-22 13:13:27 +0000 UTCI don't think anyone in the Red Bull stable could drive that car at the moment.
CSF
2025-03-22 13:12:52 +0000 UTCI completely forgot I asked that soapbox question pre-season, Edd! Presumably if they made the change it would be a straight swap, but if they've given up him after only a few races with Red Bull, is Lawson then not just going through the motions until they discard him permanently at the end of the season? Essentially driving for his own future knowing that there isn't one in the Red Bull family? Almost feels like an untenable situation for both driver and team.
Darryl Finch
2025-03-22 13:10:38 +0000 UTCJust give him time. Geez. Who was the one that decided that he should be in the Red Bull and not the RB? Helmut or Horner? Whoever decided it should be axed. Piastri had a bit of a rough start at McLaren, but they weren’t looking to axe him after a few races.
Tim
2025-03-22 12:31:05 +0000 UTCI’m convinced the Red Bull is actually a midfield car these days, it’s just that Max can drive the nuts off anything. I don’t see Yuki or anyone else faring any better.
Paul Merrison
2025-03-22 12:19:55 +0000 UTCIf Red Bull didn't have Verstappen i think Horner would be out of a job. They had a completely dominant car 18 months ago, now 4th fastest, they replaced a driver who wasn't good enough with one who could be even worse, and they lost Adrian Newey. The whole team feels a mess to me and you'd be surprised if Verstappen didn't think it was time to try something new next season. If that happens then Horner will be gone
James Nicholson
2025-03-22 12:16:16 +0000 UTCIt's terrible from Lawson's POV - but this is all on Red Bull's reluctance to hire a competitive driver to avoid upsetting Max. When Sainz and even Bottas were available options as a number 2, they went for a rookie who proved that he had decent pace in DTM, but is very unproven at F1 level and seem to be ok with throwing him under the bus so soon.
Paul Baker
2025-03-22 12:09:33 +0000 UTCHoly moly. How solid is this info? Seems utterly wild to be discussing this already!
Keir Thomas
2025-03-22 12:09:16 +0000 UTCIt's really bad start to the season for Liam
URBAN MOTO-BIKE
2025-03-22 11:58:43 +0000 UTC
