Red Bull will have an all-new driver lineup for the 2025 season with 22-year-old Liam Lawson set to partner Max Verstappen.
Lawson will replace Sergio Perez, who was axed at the end of the season by Red Bull following a series of poor results that ultimately cost them the Constructors’ Championship.
Going up against Verstappen in the same team is considered one of the toughest jobs in F1, as Lawson will be his fifth in nine years. Since then, the Dutchman has outscored Daniel Ricciardo, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly and Perez.
Perez had initially signed an extension for the 2025 season in June off the back of a strong start to the year, which meant any possibility of being replaced looked uncertain. But as the season wore on and his results worsened, it was clear Red Bull had to do something.
The team had already overlooked a lot of potential candidates, including one driver Peter Windsor thinks would have been the perfect match-up with Verstappen when speaking on the Cameron CC podcast.
Peter Windsor thinks Carlos Sainz would be best teammate to Max Verstappen
One of the most sought-after drivers on the F1 driver market this year was Carlos Sainz, who was told at the start of the season by Ferrari that he was being replaced in 2025 with Lewis Hamilton.
It was a sensational move by the Maranello-based team, but it meant Sainz could explore other options. After several talks with various teams, he eventually settled on Williams, with Sainz saying Red Bull did not approach him when he was available.
Windsor thinks Sainz would’ve been the best teammate for Verstappen, despite their previous history in the Red Bull junior team.
“I’m sad that he’s not going there not because he’s the best driver that would’ve been available, I just think he would’ve been the right teammate for Max,” said Windsor.
“I don’t think he would’ve beat Max over a year because he has a much wider scope of ability now over the years. It’s just that I think he would’ve been very compatible with Max.”
Liam Lawson must learn from his predecessors to beat Max Verstappen
Verstappen has not been outperformed by a teammate in his F1 career, which means Lawson has a tough task ahead in 2025.
Given Red Bull will be looking to win the Constructors’ title off the back of a disappointing season in which they finished third behind McLaren and Ferrari, it means Lawson will need to perform out of the box.
READ MORE: Who is Red Bull Racing F1 driver Liam Lawson? Everything you need to know
Helmut Marko thinks Lawson has the mental strength to match Verstappen, having not felt that Tsunoda would be able to cope up against the Dutchman.
Lawson has caused controversy with Fernando Alonso this year, when the Spaniard was unhappy with his defensive driving in Austin. Lawson stood up to the two-time world champion, having felt he was overreacting at the time.
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