Liam Lawson Hails Max Verstappen for Checking on Him During Junior Days

Liam Lawson Hails Max Verstappen for Checking on Him During Junior Days

Liam Lawson became a part of the Red Bull academy in 2019 and has spent a lot of time around Max Verstappen. Recently, he opened up on his relationship with the Dutchman, and the influence he has had on his racing career.

Lawson sees Verstappen as a great role model. He recalled having a room night next to Verstappen’s ahead of a race when he was in the junior categories. “Before the race, he came in and he was really nice,” he said on the Talking Bulls podcast. “He offered plenty of advice basically on reminding me  to enjoy it and make the most of it.”

Lawson described Verstappen as someone deeply passionate about racing, to the point where he follows other categories and disciplines within motorsport. In 2023, while Lawson was competing in Super Formula, Verstappen kept tabs on the series and would often quiz him about it whenever they crossed paths.

Since both Lawson and Verstappen are part of the Red Bull academy and have grown in the same environment, they share a close bond. Lawson revealed that the fiery on-track demeanor of the three-time World champion is just a small part of who he is.

Verstappen was particularly helpful to the New Zealander during the latter’s five-race cameo for AlphaTauri (now RB) in 2023, as the replacement for an injured Daniel Ricciardo.

Lawson reveals Verstappen’s nice guy persona.

Lawson was quick to dismiss the misconception in the paddock that Verstappen’s “aggressive” persona defines him. In fact, he revealed that Verstappen was the only one who came up to him and offered a helping hand during his debut at Zandvoort.

GP Blog quoted the 22-year-old as saying, “He’s actually a really nice guy out of the car. I think he can come across quite aggressive on TV, but he’s just ultra-competitive and he’s a really, really good guy. When I drove last year, he was one of the few guys that were really open to talk and give advice.”

Lawson has been with the Red Bull setup for over five years and aims to drive for the Milton Keynes-based team, either alongside Verstappen or with its sister team, RB. If no opportunity arises for him in the upcoming season, he might look for a chance with another team.

However, Red Bull’s chief advisor, Helmut Marko, has assured that Lawson will be an F1 driver next season.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Liam Lawson Max Verstappen Red Bull

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

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