Liam Lawson surprised but not deterred by Red Bull demotion

SUZUKA – Liam Lawson said he was surprised at being demoted by the Red Bull team after only two races of the new season but remained determined to make his mark in Formula One with the junior Racing Bulls team.

The 23-year-old New Zealander was appointed world champion Max Verstappen’s teammate for this season with only 11 races as a stand-in, but was last week shunted back to the Racing Bulls team and replaced by Yuki Tsunoda.

Lawson, who qualified 18th and failed to finish in Australia before qualifying last for the sprint and race in China, said he had no idea the axe would fall so soon and left Shanghai ready to prepare for the third round of the season in Japan.

“I had a phone call, basically saying that this was what was going to happen,” he told reporters at Suzuka on April 3.

“It was something I wasn’t expecting so early. It’s something that obviously is not my decision and for me, it’s about making the most of obviously this opportunity now and still being in Formula One, I still have that.”

Lawson had never raced in Melbourne or Shanghai and it was clearly a matter of regret that he was unable to show what he could do in the Red Bull at Suzuka, which he knows well from his time in Japan’s Super Formula championship.

“That was something I was obviously looking forward to from the start, to be honest, to go to a track that I’ve been to before,” he added.

“Just have a proper sort of preparation, and I now have that. So it’s exciting to be here at a track that’s one of my favourite tracks to drive on. So yeah, I’m very excited.”

Lawson clearly has the sympathy of Verstappen, who told reporters “it was not a mistake” that he had liked a social media post criticising the swop decision as “panicky”.

“My reaction was shared with the team. But in general, you know about, not only the swop, I think about everything,” the Dutchman said on April 3.

“Sometimes it’s not necessary to always share and say everything in public.”

Lawson said the prospect of returning one day to Red Bull was “part of the conversation” when he got the news.

“I guess, in a way, that’s great, but obviously I was already there starting the season,” he said.

“So look, whatever happens down the line is more or less how do I control what I control and that’s the driving stuff. So where the future goes, honestly, at this point I’m not really thinking about too much.”

The New Zealander was also reassured by how quickly things can change in Formula One.

“If I look back a year ago, I had no seat, I was here a year ago, watching and wishing I was racing,” he said. “So for me, the main thing is being in a car.”

Meanwhile, championship leader Lando Norris believes McLaren’s strong start to the season is the result not only of having the best car but also the best combination of drivers on the grid.

The 25-year-old Briton won the season opener in Australia and his Australian teammate Oscar Piastri took the chequered flag in China two weeks ago, with Norris coming home second to give McLaren a strong early lead in the team standings.

“I think just the fact we have two good drivers is obviously making the biggest difference because, in certain cases, I don’t think we necessarily had the quickest one,” he told reporters on April 3.

“But the fact that we have just two good drivers pushing each other makes, I think, just a bigger difference than people expect and take acknowledgement for.”

Norris clarified that he did not think the Ferrari duo of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were inferior drivers but thought that he and Piastri deserved some credit for how they were performing.

“I also think between Oscar and myself, we both improved our own driving a lot,” he added.

“And I also feel like I’m more prepared for whatever the situation may be, whether it is racing against Max or Oscar or Lewis or Charles, whoever.” REUTERS