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Why Lawson has "no fear" of being Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull
Liam Lawson has put his hand up to be Max Verstappen's teammate and stresses he has "no fear" of being in that position. Speaking to De Telegraaf, the New Zealander explained why he has no fear and made it clear that he has already been learning from the three-time World Champion.
Sergio Perez is currently Max Verstappen's teammate, but his seat is increasingly looking in doubt. He is contracted to be Verstappen's teammate in 2025, but further doubt has been cast about his future. Lawson wants to make sure he is in a position to take over, should Red Bull decide to make the switch. Lawson replaced the injured Daniel Ricciardo in 2023 at AlphaTauri and made a positive impression.
Lawson went back on the sidelines but has since replaced the Australian again and will complete the 2024 season with Visa Cash App RB. Lawson hopes to give Christian Horner and Helmut Marko a positive impression.
Red Bull has struggled with the seat next to Verstappen for several years. Then-Red Bull juniors Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon felt the pressure and couldn't live up to the Dutchman's performances. Perez initially did better but has recently dropped away. Is it something Lawson worries about? "No, I have no fear of that. In fact, I wouldn't rather have anyone as a teammate than Max. He is the best in the sport. Then, on the contrary, it would be very instructive to compete against him, to be able to study his data every weekend and see exactly how he handles it," Lawson said.
How Verstappen already helped Lawson
This is not the first time Lawson has spoken highly of Max Verstappen. The Dutchman also helped Lawson on his debut in Formula 1 at Zandvoort. Then, a nervous Lawson was at the start of his first Grand Prix, and Verstappen told him to enjoy the race and not to worry.
"That definitely helped. I learned a lot from him in the last few seasons. Being in the garage and having a headset on has allowed me to see and hear everything up close for two years. How he drives the car, how he talks about balance and what he wants. Very clear and direct, Max doesn't waste time while giving his feedback. That's so important in Formula 1. I think I learned more from him than from anyone else," Lawson added.
It appears Lawson might face competition from outside of the Red Bull junior team. Williams driver Franco Colapinto has also recently come into the picture for a switch to Red Bull, while Yuki Tsunoda is also pushing for the seat. Meanwhile, Perez is still in the seat and has a contract for 2025. However, support for him is reducing by the week and a dismissal can no longer be ruled out.
This article has been created in collaboration with Tim Kraaij