Liam Lawson expressed his thoughts this weekend about his brief but much-discussed stint at Red Bull, firmly dismissing Christian Horner’s suggestion that his confidence had taken a hit. During his first race weekend with affiliate team Racing Bulls, Lawson was unable to redeem himself, but he looks ahead to the rest of the season with his head held high.
The Red Bull team management – including team boss Christian Horner – decided to replace Liam Lawson in the run-up to the GP of Japan. After two mediocre Grands Prix, he was sacrificed in favor of Yuki Tsunoda. Horner justified the switch by stating that Lawson lacked some confidence, particularly due to disappointing results in Australia and China. The team management supposedly protected him by moving him back to Racing Bulls. The New Zealander, who once again raced for the affiliate team in Japan, refuted that commentary.
“I don’t think it changes much in terms of confidence,” he told the media in Suzuka. “We all brim with confidence – that’s why we make it to Formula 1. If you don’t have that, it becomes very difficult. Fortunately, that’s just in us, so this really doesn’t change anything about how I think about myself. Of course, I know that I was given a wonderful opportunity at Red Bull – I’ve been working towards that since I was sixteen. But Christian (Horner) and the team have made their opinion clear, and ultimately it’s up to them to decide on the drivers,” Lawson added.
Returning to Racing Bulls
The decision to replace Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda after just two races came as a surprise – both to him and many in the paddock. “I felt like I was ready,” he sighed. “And despite the fact that it was two tough weekends, it doesn’t change how I see myself.” He emphasized that the conditions were not ideal for a sensational debut. “These were new circuits for me, and in a way, it was an accelerated debut. But that was also the reason they promoted me – so I could adapt quickly.”
During the race weekend in Japan, Lawson seemed to redeem himself for his poor season start. Admittedly, he qualified behind teammate Isack Hadjar, but ahead of Red Bull debutant Yuki Tsunoda. However, as he tried his luck with a long first stint, he fell back several places during the race. “There’s not much more to say,” reflected Lawson. “We went on for a long time, but it just didn’t really work.” The mission for the upcoming Grands Prix is clear: “Keep building, get used to the car and push it,” he summed up.
