Liam Lawson has had a disappointing Chinese Grand Prix weekend so far. Now, with pressures rising around the driver, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has delivered a blunt assessment of the driver, alongside a subtle warning.
“This is not what we expected,” he said via Sky Sports F1 Germany via Planet F1. “We will discuss it calmly. We still have a few drivers among them [Red Bull’s junior academy], who can recommend themselves.
“Thank God we are in a good position.”
This weekend has been horrific for the Kiwi, who has qualified at the back of the pack for both the sprint race and the Grand Prix. So far this season he’s yet to pass Q1.
Talking to Sky Sports F1 after qualifying, Lawson admitted that he’s running out of time to prove himself.
“I think it’s just time. Unfortunately, I don’t really have time, but it’s just one of those things that me driving a Formula 1 car, takes 100 percent confidence in what you’re doing.”
While the driver managed to push up the pack in the sprint race, finishing 14th, his qualifying has been very disappointing.
“It’s not that I don’t feel confident,” he continued. “But the window is so small that, right now, I just seem to miss it. I just need to get a handle on it. I don’t know how else to put it, it’s just not good enough.”
His teammate Max Verstappen, with all his years of experience with the team, has been able to extract a good level of performance so far this season after winning four consecutive championships. Lawson hasn’t managed to understand his machinery yet.
“It’s just really tough, honestly,” he admitted. “I think the window is really small. That’s known, but it’s not an excuse, like, I’ve got to get a handle of it.
“It was a messy session. Had we not dealt with traffic and stuff like that, it might have been okay but, to be honest, it’s still not good enough – to be having those issues, and that’s the reason that we get knocked out, we should be fast enough on our first lap.
“It shouldn’t be an issue, I just need to get on top of it.”
Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda is waiting in the wings to take his spot in the leading team. He’s shown solid performance this season. Finishing P6 in the sprint race, Marko’s focus is slowly honing in on the Japanese driver, with Tsunoda himself admitting that he is 100% ready to take the mantle for the Japanese Grand Prix.
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