Horner explains Lawson's woes: 'Verstappen's style is confident sapping'
F1 News
Liam Lawson's tenure at Red Bull has started off on the wrong foot in 2025 with the New Zealander much further back from teammate Max Verstappen than the team expected him - and needed him - to be. The team's principal, Christian Horner has responded to whether or not the Red Bull cars suit the Dutchman's style better, whilst also reaffirming that Red Bull won't be changing their approach anytime soon.
With Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, Sergio Perez and now Liam Lawson, that's four teammates that have struggled immensely to cope with Red Bull cars, and there only seems to be one common denominator: Max Verstappen. Are the Red Bull cars tailored to the Dutchman's style? Horner responded to that question in conversation with Sky Sports.
'Confident sapping' style of Verstappen leads Red Bull's development
"Max is quite specific [in] what he wants from a car to make it fast. And that is generally a very positive front end on the car, a very sharp turn in. Of course, the consequence of that is it will unsettle the rear of the car. And that, for a driver, is tremendously confident sapping. If you've got a loose rear end on these cars on entry into corners," explains Horner.
"So that's where he excels, that's where he's able to live on a knife's edge of adhesion," added the Briton.
Can only Max Verstappen drive Red Bull Racing's cars and are they tailored to his style? "He's just constantly asking for more and more front out of the car. Of course you're always going to follow the direction of your faster driver and that leads the organisation in terms of its development," concluded Horner.