Liam Lawson Under Pressure

 

Liam Lawson Under Pressure in 2025 F1® Season

F1® fun certainly comes with pressure, racing speculation, controversies, and drama. With only two races into the 2025 Formula One® season, rookie Liam Lawson finds himself at the centre of it all.

After two challenging races, it’s fair to say Liam has had a rocky start to his F1® career with Red Bull Racing. The pressure is immense, with Helmut Marko, Christian Horner, and the broader Red Bull organisation all expecting results—especially after narrowly missing out on the Constructors’ Championship in 2024.

Last year, many pointed fingers at Sergio Pérez’s lack of form and his struggle to score consistent top-10 points as the key reason Red Bull missed out on the highly coveted Constructors' title. From a team and business standpoint, the Constructors' title is everything. It’s where the money comes from—funding the teams, powering research and development, and ultimately keeping teams ahead in this ever-evolving sport. This is Formula One, and money is king.

Being Max Verstappen’s teammate was never going to be easy. We can all agree Max is undeniably one of the greatest F1® drivers the sport has ever seen. His ruthless driving style, fearless overtakes, and masterful car control around some of the world’s most challenging circuits have become his calling card. Max is on course to become one of the most successful drivers in Formula One history, and as he matures, his driving style has become a masterclass to see.

So, where does this leave Liam Lawson?

Red Bull expects him to score points. Liam is in a top-three car. He’s been given the chance. And in the ruthless world of Formula One—where sponsors demand camera time, podiums, and results—he has to deliver.

From a sympathetic point of view, many might say: “Give the boy a chance.” He needs eight or nine races to settle in. After all, he’s obviously produced the correct lap data, braking patterns, and cornering telemetry to earn his shot. The Red Bull engineers and leadership don’t promote just anyone. But F1® is unforgiving. Sponsors fund the operation. Sponsors want results. Logos need to be visible at the front of the grid—not buried at the back or even not finishing races.

With pressure mounting from the Red Bull board, Christian Horner, Helmut Marko, and the ever-present Constructors’ title in sight, Lawson finds himself in what may be one of the hardest jobs in the world: delivering results immediately while sitting next to a once-in-a-generation talent in Max Verstappen.

So, do we give sympathy to a rookie driver? Or is F1® all about ruthlessness—score points or give up your seat?

The Japanese Grand Prix is this week, and all eyes will be on Liam Lawson. Here at Senate Grand Prix, we make predictions for every race—but right now, we’ve got our fingers crossed for Liam. We fully support him. Let’s hope he grows into the role, earns his place, and begins delivering results in one of the sport's toughest seats.

All Eyes will be on Suzuka this weekend. Let’s hope Liam Lawson has the breakthrough he deserves.