There has been a lot of talk within the paddock about Liam Lawson’s Red Bull exit ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. Fellow rookie driver Jack Doohan, who has also received his fair share of pressure, has thrown in his support for Lawson.
After the first two Grand Prix weekends in Australia and China, Red Bull decided to move Lawson back down to its sister team, Racing Bulls, as he struggled to find the expected performance in the RB21. Yuki Tsunoda steps up to take his place alongside Max Verstappen.
The decision from the Milton Keynes outfit has come under intense scrutiny. Many argue that the New Zealander should have been given more time, especially when you consider his lack of testing, the sprint race weekend in Shanghai, and Verstappen’s feedback on their machinery.
Alpine’s Doohan has faced a similar level of pressure, albeit without losing his seat. Heading into the 2025 season, the French team signed Franco Colapinto as a reserve and test driver, which led many to believe this was a way of lining him up to replace Doohan. As rumours escalated, it was speculated that the Enstone squad were only giving the rookie five races to impress before he would face replacement. The team later denied these rumours.
While speaking to the media in Suzuka, Doohan commented on Lawson’s move:
“You know, to be honest, it’s difficult to see. And I feel for him. But he’s still in Formula One.
“You know, I had rumours that I wasn’t even going to drive before I drove. I think he’s an extremely, extremely talented driver. And for one reason or another, you know, had a very hard time.
Jack Doohan, Alpine
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
“But again, only two races. So it’s a shame. But I think, to be honest, he’s going to be more of a threat at RB than he potentially was at Red Bull.”
Addressing the pressure that rookie drivers are placed under, the Australian driver continued:
“Yeah, it’s a cut-throat sport. And especially in that situation, I don’t want to comment too much on it. But in a top team especially. But, yeah, this is Formula One. It’s a business where they rely on performances and results. But, you know, he was in a very, very tricky situation.
“And we know how tough that Red Bull is to drive. So I won’t be commenting any further.”
