Liam Lawson faces what has proved to be one of the toughest tasks in Formula 1 during the 2025 season.
Red Bull Racing have a point to prove this season after losing the Constructors’ Championship to McLaren and falling behind Ferrari in the process.
Sergio Perez’s exit was confirmed after the 2024 season ended, providing Liam Lawson with the opportunity to step up in his place.
The young Kiwi is the latest driver who now faces the inevitable task of trying to beat Max Verstappen.
The four-time world champion managed to overcome many of the issues Red Bull faced last year to win the title, but this ended up hampering his old teammate.
Red Bull ended up apologising to Perez because they didn’t listen to his feedback soon enough as Verstappen was capable of driving around the problems.
Verstappen was making changes unknown to the Red Bull factory over the course of the campaign to try and find solutions, but the hope is that the winter break will give the Milton Keynes-based team time to find permanent solutions to his concerns.
Lawson has all of this to look forward to and will hope he’s not the latest driver to fail to live up to expectations alongside the Dutchman.
In an interview at the Formula Regional Oceania Championship in Taupo with Stuff.co.nz, Lawson was asked about how he thinks he’ll fair against Verstappen after receiving an unexpected prediction about his chances in 2025.
Liam Lawson thanks Helmut Marko ‘pressure’ for helping prepare him for Max Verstappen battle
Lawson was told that New Zealand racing legend Kenny Smith believes he has the mentality to push and beat Max Verstappen.
He replied: “I have to be realistic, so realistically going in I know I’m going to a whole bunch of tracks I’ve never done before and it’s my first full season.
“So, I’m not expecting to go in there and fight for race wins instantly.
“But obviously I’m expecting to perform well and do the job the team needs me to do and I’m obviously not there to lose either, I’m only there for one reason.
READ MORE: Who is Red Bull Racing F1 driver Liam Lawson? Everything you need to know
“It’s exciting! I think Red Bull’s environment for the last six years has always been under pressure, that’s how I started when I was 16 and they signed me.
“I had the phone calls from Helmut every other week about, ‘Do the job, otherwise you’re axed’, and those kinds of moments as a young driver, they put a lot of pressure on you and that builds you really for F1.
“So, I feel like I’ve been developed for this opportunity.”
Helmut Marko is already one of Liam Lawson’s biggest fans in Formula 1
Although team principal Christian Horner has the final say on which two drivers race for Red Bull, the influence of the team’s shareholders and chief advisor Helmut Marko can’t be ignored.
Marko wanted Lawson to replace Daniel Ricciardo much sooner than he did at RB last year and finally got his way with six races remaining.
He’s not an easy man to please as many junior drivers have found over the years but has a lot of faith in Lawson’s ability.
READ MORE: Who is Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko? Everything to know
Although he was roughly on a par with Yuki Tsunoda after his promotion at the back end of 2024, it’s his mentality – as Smith said to Lawson in New Zealand – that makes him stand out.
His battles with Perez and Fernando Alonso last year highlight that he’s not afraid to fight any driver on the track.
That is of course unless you’re Verstappen who he conveniently let through rather easily during his phenomenal race win in Sao Paulo.
Lawson appears to read races very well and when you’re coming in as a number two driver at a top team, that skill can often be vastly underappreciated.
