What F1 paddock insiders are saying about how close Red Bull expect Liam Lawson to be to Max Verstappen this season

Liam Lawson has the mammoth task of going up against Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2025.

The Kiwi driver impressed the Milton Keynes-based outfit with his 11 sub appearances at Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri) in 2023 and 2024.

Now, Red Bull have opted to thrust Lawson into the second seat next to reigning four-time champion Verstappen after Sergio Perez left the team.

The second seat in the Red Bull garage has been a poison chalice in recent years. Many drivers have come and gone from the team after failing to match the dominant Dutchman.

The likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Perez have all either been demoted, left the team or been sacked over the years as they could not get closer to Verstappen.

The 2024 season was the 27-year-old’s most comprehensive win in the teammate battle. Perez only beat Verstappen once all year – thanks to his retirement in Melbourne.

Paddock insiders say Red Bull expect Liam Lawson to be within ‘three tenths’ of Max Verstappen over a lap

Lawson says Verstappen is ‘simply the best’ as the reason why his previous teammates have failed. With history not on his side, the 23-year-old could be the next to fall.

Anthony Davidson thinks Lawson will be under ‘immense pressure’ at Red Bull this season. The Kiwi driver will be looking to perform at least better than Perez managed in 2024.

Speaking on the RacingNews365 YouTube channel, journalist Sam Coop says people within the paddock have an indication as to how close Lawson should be to Verstappen over a lap in a Grand Prix.

“If Liam doesn’t hit the ground running, which even if he doesn’t I think that’s fair enough. But it will get to a point where people will start benchmarking him against how far the likes of Sergio Perez and Alex Albon were behind Max.

“So it’s almost like Max isn’t the benchmark. It’s what’s come before him that is what he needs to really deal with and beat.

“There’s long been a kind of saying in the paddock that for Red Bull, they really just want their second driver to kind of be within three tenths of a second over a lap to Max.

“And if Liam can be in that ball park, he’s doing alright.”

Could Liam Lawosn be the next to fail alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull?

Lawson is only contracted until the end of the season at Red Bull. While the team hold him in high regard, he will be expected to deliver results.

Lawson does not expect a championship fight ‘straight away’ but he is aiming to help the team in the constructors’ championship after finishing third behind McLaren and Ferrari.

The Kiwi driver snubbed Racing Bulls teammate Yuki Tsunoda of the second Red Bull seat – despite having less experience. Red Bull are keeping tabs on Tsunoda throughout the year, hinting at a possible driver switch mid-season – which the team are notorious for.

Regular podiums and even a race win are possible for Lawson with the RB21 – at least that is what will be expected of him. If the 23-year-old cannot deliver next to Verstappen, he could find himself back at Racing Bulls.