Lawson looks like the next victim: When will Red Bull look in the mirror?

Red Bull Racing don't seem to have a good hand in choosing a teammate for Max Verstappen in recent years - yes, years. After Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon and, after long delays in terms of making the decision, Sergio Perez had to leave the team, yet another driver seems to be on his way to be discarded. In the meantime, it is surely a question that needs to be asked: are the drivers at fault, or do the Austrian only have themselves to blame?

Red Bull with many questions to answer

One driver has to leave: it could be that the right driver could not meet the expectations. Two is already coincidental, but it could still be the drivers' fault. However, if a fourth F1 driver in a row seems to be collapsing under the pressure at Red Bull Racing, the team really need to take a serious look in the mirror. Are the team putting too much pressure on the man next to Verstappen each time? Are the expectations too unrealistic? Is it at all wise to put an inexperienced driver in a Red Bull? Is their car only actually worthy of being towards the middle of the order, but is Verstappen getting more out of it than is actually possible?

The answer to all these questions can probably be a 'yes'. Yet the last question - whether the RB21 is actually as good as their Alpine or Aston Martin counterpart in disguise? - seems the most real at the moment. Like Perez did earlier, Lawson also admits that the car is in fact very difficult to tame.

Speaking to the media in the paddock, the New Zealander said, "Overall it's just how the car is to drive, it's a very small window. I think obviously Max is able to get in and have the car on the limit, know where the limit is everywhere and be comfortable with it. And it's just something I'm figuring out.."

What is the alternative for Lawson?

The only question is whether Lawson is going to get that time, when there are already rumours of a swap with Yuki Tsunoda. "I'm also not stupid and I know that obviously I'm here to perform and if I'm not doing that, I’m not going to be around. I'm just focused on getting used to the car as quickly as I can." said Lawson, who realises he does not have months to do that.

On the other hand, what would be the alternative for Red Bull? Let Lawson go after two or three races and throw Tsunoda to the lions? There is a chance that the Japanese driver could also crumble immediately, if the structural problems within Red Bull and with the RB21 are not solved first.