In 2025, Liam Lawson’s time with Red Bull lasted only two races, highlighting the vast gap in understanding and performance between him and teammate Max Verstappen. The New Zealander was brought on to replace Sergio Perez, but quickly found adapting to the Red Bull RB22 car extremely challenging, resulting in poor qualifying results and a return to Red Bull’s junior team, Racing Bulls.
The sharp difference between Verstappen and his teammates has become a recurring theme at Red Bull, with Lawson’s experience underscoring how difficult it remains to match the Dutch driver’s pace and car mastery.
The Challenges Lawson Faced with the RB22 Ahead of Isack Hadjar’s Entry
Lawson struggled to find any connection with the RB22, which is known for its sensitive handling and complex aerodynamics. The 24-year-old’s unfamiliarity with the car’s behavior left him lagging behind the grid, culminating in his demotion after just two races. Despite acknowledging Verstappen’s attempts to support him, Lawson was unable to overcome the hurdles posed by the car and the team environment.
Telemetry Highlights a Six-Tenths Deficit to Verstappen in China
During the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, the performance gap between Lawson and Verstappen was particularly evident. Lawson admitted to being around half a second slower than Verstappen over a race weekend, but telemetry data revealed he was already six-tenths slower just past the first two corners.
F1 driver coach Martin Villari analyzed the data on the LowerLapTime YouTube channel, commenting on the stark difference:
“Have a look at this, he’s not lying when he says half a second. This is them in ‘25, Max in white and Lawson in blue. And if we look at the delta through turn one, even over the line, he’s losing, probably the exit out of [turn] 16, he’s already down six hundredths by the time they go into turn one.”
Understanding Why Lawson Lost Significant Time Through Key Corners
Villari continued to break down Lawson’s struggles in cornering, explaining the difficulty the New Zealander faced:
“But anyway, as turn one unfolds, you see Max’s speed in white is much higher than Liam’s in blue. And it does materialize to be six tenths by the time they’ve gone through one and two. That’s very strange for me. It’s very strange to have that level of time loss through turn one. I get it because it’s a long corner. So, that’s possible.”
He noted Lawson was braking earlier and lifting off the throttle sooner compared to Verstappen, who could aggressively carry more downforce through the corners, enhancing his exit speeds.
I always come back to line and steering wheel, but in this particular case, it’s probably a lack of understanding about aero balance, steering wheel, tight lines, what the car is capable of.
— Martin Villari, F1 Driver Coach
The Broader Implications of Lawson’s Performance Struggles at Red Bull
Lawson’s inability to grasp the RB22’s aero balance and extract its full potential vividly illustrates the steep learning curve faced by drivers stepping into the Red Bull seat. His quick demotion also raises questions about the team’s approach towards grooming young talent and whether lessons from Lawson’s experience have been applied ahead of Isack Hadjar’s anticipated debut.
This performance gap further magnifies Max Verstappen’s exceptional talent and technical grasp, solidifying his dominance within the team. Going forward, Red Bull’s capacity to bridge this divide will shape their driver lineup and competitiveness in the coming seasons.
