Horner criticised over Lawson 'duty of care'

Former Aston Martin Formula 1 strategist Bernie Collins believes Christian Horner's "duty of care" towards Liam Lawson should have come sooner.

Lawson has been switched with Yuki Tsunoda after just two races this term - falling back to Racing Bulls with the Japanese taking his place alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull in time for his home grand prix at Suzuka.

Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Show podcast, Collins said: "Two races sounds harsh. I wonder if some of it is because it's a triple-header, so it's either two or five.

"He was on my flight back from China and wow, he looked so down, he looked so sad. We obviously heard the rumours coming out of China and I thought 'give him more time than that'.

"This weekend's qualifying is going to be one to get up for because I want to see which one out of the four - the two Red Bulls and two Racing Bulls - where the qualifying pans out because if Liam now outqualifies Tsunoda in a Red Bull, that's going to be a big talking point."

Red Bull could have been in stronger position

Red Bull team principal Horner has insisted he and the team has a duty of care to Lawson following his early departure from the parent team, which made him the fifth to have failed to match Verstappen and ultimately leave without success.

"I feel like that duty of care, which all managers have to employees, should have come a bit earlier really," Collins suggested.

"If you are putting someone in the car, why have they not had more track time in the Red Bull, which we know is different to the RB. Why have they not had some more input and more test days - we discussed driving a two-year-old car like Kimi Antonelli did.

"Whatever they driver they put in could have been in a much stronger position - getting rid of Sergio Perez has been on the cards since the middle of last year, so they've had time."

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