Liam Lawson faces one of the most difficult Formula 1 tasks of anyone in 2025 as he goes up against Max Verstappen at Red Bull.
It’s easy to forget that the Kiwi has completed just 11 races in his career so far, but he did manage to make Fernando Alonso angry at the US Grand Prix last year in the short time he has been around.
Lawson won’t be expected to match Verstappen at Red Bull but he will be expected to help them compete for the Constructors’ Championship.
Sergio Perez lost his Red Bull seat because he couldn’t maintain a consistent level of performance. His poor showing cost the team a title in 2024.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit finished the year with the third-fastest car, but a winter of development should help them get back into championship contention.
Lawson hates the commercial aspects of his Red Bull promotion but he might forget about those when he starts to achieve wins and podiums every week.
Red Bull gave Liam Lawson the ‘bare minimum’ in pursuit of F1 drive
Lawson beat ex-teammate Yuki Tsunoda to a promotion at the end of the 2024 season, despite losing 6-0 in the qualifying battle between the two.
The Japanese driver will remain at Visa Cash App Racing Bulls alongside rookie Isack Hadjar but may be inclined to look elsewhere in the future if he wants to compete at the front.
It was Tsunoda who drove for Red Bull at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi, indicating that he might be the preferred choice for a driver.
READ MORE: Red Bull newbie Liam Lawson admits he has a tiny fanbase compared to one F1 reserve driver
However, after consideration of race pace, Lawson was handed the gig. He admitted to Stuff that Red Bull gave him little information about what he had to do to come out on top.
“I was in a good position, so of course I was under pressure to perform well every weekend. But they didn’t give me much information,” he said.
“So I didn’t really know what was going on, it was just the bare minimum: you have a chance and you have to perform. That’s what I tried to do.”
Why 2025 is a make-or-break year for Liam Lawson at Red Bull
Formula 1 is set to undergo a reset in 2026 with the arrival of new technical regulations. They could completely flip the running order of the grid on its head.
Lawson only has a one-year contract at Red Bull and it offers the team the option to offload him ahead of a huge 2026 season if he doesn’t meet their standards.
The only problem they would be left with is a lack of serviceable options. George Russell is one of the only top drivers set to be a free agent at the end of the year.
READ MORE: Liam Lawson explains Helmut Marko’s role in helping him to prepare to be Max Verstappen’s teammate
The Brit is also unlikely to want to leave his home at Mercedes where he is now the established team leader after the departure of Lewis Hamilton.
Maybe Tsunoda’s chances at the top team aren’t over yet, and with a good 2025, he could start to reapply pressure on Lawson’s case.
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