With Sergio Perez underperforming massively last season for Red Bull, the team were always going to replace him, but there was immense uncertainty about who they would pick. The Milton Keynes-based outfit eventually signed 23-year-old Liam Lawson, who had impressed during his 11 cameo appearances over the last two seasons.
With Lawson getting the Red Bull promotion despite his lack of experience compared to his former Racing Bulls teammate Yuki Tsunoda — who has been with the Faenza-based team for five years now — there were obviously several question marks raised.
The New Zealander has now revealed what he brings to the table that convinced Red Bull to sign him.
With Lawson not having much of a sponsorship backing as someone like Perez — who reportedly brought in as much as $40 million to Red Bull — the 23-year-old knew that he would need to do something special to convince the top brass of the Milton Keynes-based outfit to consider him.
“All I brought to the table was me,” Lawson said on the Garage 66 podcast about his emotions last year when the speculations were rife around who would Red Bull select for the second seat alongside Max Verstappen. “A lot of these other guys bring in whether it is money or whether it is a sponsor”.
“Basically every time I got in the car, I knew that’s what was going to get me a seat, or get me that [Red Bull] seat, was what I did in the car. That’s what I really bring to the table,” he added.
We #react to Liam Lawson VS Sergio Perez! #f1, #liamlawson pic.twitter.com/65LAugRyjD
— thehotlap (@thehotlapshow) January 3, 2025
Since Lawson is not seen as a money magnet, Red Bull selected him purely on merit. This also means that the Kiwi driver will have a lot more pressure on his shoulders this year because if he underperforms, Red Bull can always replace him like they have done with several of their drivers in the past.
After all, Lawson himself came in as a mid-season replacement for Daniel Ricciardo last year at RB, after the Australian failed to meet expectations.
Lawson was not afraid to get his elbows out
Usually, inexperienced drivers are very tentative when they are racing some of the big names as they do not want to upset anyone. But Lawson knew that since he only brought his race skills to the table, he could not afford to play nice and had to get his elbows out when required.
During his six-race stint last year, the New Zealander not only fought hard with Perez — the man he replaces this season — but also two-time champion Fernando Alonso, with both ridiculing him for his driving. After Lawson squeezed Alonso to get past him during the United States GP sprint race last year, the Spaniard berated him.
“Too much action, maybe, from Lawson, who has six races to prove things,” Alonso told DAZN after the sprint race at Austin. “I don’t think it’s the best way, but it’s his career at stake and not mine“.
“I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to win”
Liam Lawson after heated clashes with Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez since his F1 return pic.twitter.com/tKTha6wWLd
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 31, 2024
A week after Lawson was on the receiving end of Alonso’s frustration, he had another scuffle in Mexico with Perez, who also slammed the Hastings-born driver for his attitude. Despite receiving such criticism from both F1 veterans, Lawson made it clear that he will not change his driving style.
“I raced both of them exactly how I would race anybody on the grid,” he told ESPN’s Nate Saunders ahead of the Las Vegas GP last year. “And any of the moves that happened on the track for me, there were no frustrations in those moves. That’s how I race”.
With Lawson showing no fear no matter who he is competing with, Red Bull perhaps decided to sign him for this very quality. It may also help Lawson be one of the few drivers who is capable of challenging the mighty Verstappen, who himself has a reputation for doing whatever it takes to win, even if it means overstepping the limits at times.
