The first rival a driver will be compared with in F1 is always their own teammate. That’s a commonly repeated phrase among those in the community, which doesn’t set a very promising stage for Liam Lawson, who will join Red Bull in 2025.
Sparky cameo appearances are one thing, but being teammates with Max Verstappen will be an entirely different challenge. Most have failed it, including the likes of Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, and most recently Sergio Perez.
Matching the Dutchman is no easy feat, and Lawson has to be at his best to not be obliterated in terms of stats. It could be demoralizing, and at the same time, it could also derail his F1 career moving forward.
Thankfully, nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen has some words of advice for him.
To make sure he can put up a fight, the Dane wants him to make friends in the Red Bull garage. This isn’t just because of talent, but also the ‘mental battle’ that comes with the four-time champ being as good as he is.
“You need to win your side of the garage,” Kristensen said on the RacingNews365 podcast. “You don’t want your side of the garage looking the other side, you need to make sure everyone wants you to do well together…” Kristensen emphasized the need to be open with everyone on the team, as that is what will ultimately help Lawson chase success.
“Once in a while you can crack a joke, but definitely show them you are hard. You work hard”, he further explained. Most importantly, Kristensen suggested Lawson be brutally honest, even if it means admitting to his own mistakes.
What Lawson cannot afford to do
Mechanics and engineers are the backbone of an F1 team during a Grand Prix weekend. If they don’t receive the right feedback, they are bound to make mistakes, which they will only realize until it is too late.
Plus, if Lawson decides to mask his failures by not being truthful, it will lead to his engineers losing trust. “They don’t want to have anyone in who is trying to protect his own performance. Because when you go down the wrong alley and then immediately you lose everything. You lose confidence from your garage…,” Kristensen added.
A new-look Red Bull
Liam Lawson joins Max Verstappen at Red Bull, replacing Sergio Perez #F1 pic.twitter.com/3JUb4J4Cok
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 19, 2024
It won’t be easy for Lawson. That’s for certain.
He has made 11 appearances for Red Bull’s sister team over the last two years and has done a decent enough job for the Austrian squad to call him up. But dealing with Verstappen as a partner will be something unprecedented for the Kiwi driver.
