Can Lawson help Verstappen make Red Bull great again?

Following a turbulent 2024 season that saw Sergio Perez struggle to keep pace, Lawson’s arrival brings hope for a revitalised lineup as Red Bull aim to reclaim their Constructors’ Championship dominance.

Kiwi Lawson earned his promotion after an 11-race stint with Racing Bulls, where he impressed enough to be chosen over the more experienced Yuki Tsunoda. While Tsunoda remains with the Red Bull junior team, 20-year-old Frenchman Isack Hadjar, the fiery 2024 Formula 2 runner-up, joins as his new teammate.

Since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure in 2015, Verstappen has established himself as Red Bull’s untouchable number one, leaving a trail of defeated teammates—including Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and most recently Perez.

Red Bull’s consultant, Helmut Marko, has set high expectations for Lawson, aiming for him to be within two or three-tenths of Verstappen’s pace in key sessions. But can Lawson handle the pressure?

1997 Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve weighed in on Lawson’s prospects, offering advice to the 23-year-old and insights into Red Bull’s new lineup.

Speaking about the challenge ahead for Lawson, Villeneuve said: “It’s a big chance for Liam Lawson, it’s a big opportunity, but we’ve seen drivers put into the main team right away collapse very quickly. So, we’ll see how mentally strong he is and how good he really is, because we don’t know yet. I mean, you cannot take his F2 season, his Japanese season or his races against Tsunoda as a benchmark.”

Villeneuve emphasised that Lawson’s primary role is to support Verstappen, but he believes the Kiwi will have his own ambitions: “Contractually Lawson is there to help Verstappen. But in his own head, he’s not. In his head, he’s there to replace Max. So, he will try to be tough and quick.”

Villeneuve added: “Hopefully it will put Max under pressure and push Max to drive even better. This way it helps the team to make progress.”

Villeneuve set clear expectations for Lawson’s performance: “If it’s not a winning car, so they’re not winning the championship, in which case you would have to be P2 or nothing, then a good finish for Lawson would be one place behind Verstappen or two places behind him, that’s it. Not anything more.”

He explained the importance of consistency in scoring points: “If you’re winning races, you make a big points tally. Because first to second is a big difference. If you’re finishing third, fourth, fifth, the point difference is tiny.”

With Lawson stepping into his seat, the future looks uncertain for Sergio Perez, whose Red Bull tenure ended a year earlier than expected. Villeneuve had a clear view on what’s next for the Mexican driver: “Sergio Perez should take the money and enjoy life. Endurance racing. F1 is done. He’ll never get back. He was actually done and then Red Bull took him.”

Villeneuve continued: “When Red Bull took him, that gave him a little spark, that gave him the hunger that made him (for a couple of years) go much better than he had been. Now it’s extinguished.”

Villeneuve also offered predictions for potential changes in the driver market: “Tsunoda will be the first driver to leave the grid. He’s only there because of Honda. At some point, this will stop. And the writing is quite clear that this is his last season with the Red Bull family anyway. And I don’t see any team wanting him unless there’s a big Honda push.”

Reflecting on the rookies joining the grid in 2025, Villeneuve expressed reservations about their readiness. “No idea what to expect out of Bortoletto. No idea. Formula 2 has never been a good judge of drivers. So, it’s pointless until they get into F1. But right now they get into F1 with so little experience.”

Villeneuve questioned the rapid promotion of young drivers: “It’s very difficult to understand how you can get to that top level in the biggest sport in the world so quickly at such a young age with so little experience. I find that quite surprising. They get a lot of simulator work, which allows them to be quick, but then you also see what happened with Antonelli in Monza.”

When asked about Franco Colapinto’s struggles, Villeneuve did not hold back: “Franco Colapinto damaged his chances. If you are given the golden chance, it’s for you to make the most of it. He can’t cry about it. He got a few races out of this in F1. Not many people get that, so it’s already impressive that he got that chance.”

Villeneuve concluded: “I’m not sure what will happen with his future. He’s still a quick driver. But what he showed is he didn’t judge the situation really well.”

As Red Bull gear up for 2025, all eyes will be on Lawson and whether he can thrive alongside Verstappen. With Villeneuve’s words serving as both a caution and a challenge, Lawson faces the ultimate test of his talent, resilience, and ambition. Will he rise to the occasion or become another casualty of Red Bull’s notoriously high-pressure environment?