Liam Lawson’s Formula 1 future is hanging in the balance, and Christian Horner knows it. Following another grueling weekend for the Red Bull newcomer in China, the team boss faced a barrage of questions from the media, all probing the same issue: How much longer can Red Bull afford to wait for Lawson to find his form?
After a brutal debut at the Australian Grand Prix—where he crashed out after a disappointing Q1 exit—Lawson arrived in Shanghai looking for redemption. Instead, things only got worse. Dead last in both Sprint Qualifying and the main Qualifying session, he found himself with an uphill battle just to crack the top ten. To make matters worse, Red Bull made aggressive setup changes that forced him to start from the pit lane for the second weekend in a row. In the end, he could only climb to P15 before post-race disqualifications nudged him up to P12—a small consolation in an otherwise forgettable outing.
The pressure is mounting. With Max Verstappen competing at the sharp end of the grid, the contrast between teammates is stark. So, when Horner was asked point-blank whether Red Bull might swap out Lawson as soon as Japan, his response was measured but hardly reassuring.
“There’s always going to be speculation in the paddock,” Horner admitted. “We’ve only just finished the race here, so we’ll take the data, analyze it, and support him as best we can.”
That statement did little to silence the rumors. When pressed on whether Lawson would race the RB21 at Suzuka, Horner remained vague. “Everything is purely speculative at the moment,” he reiterated. “Liam still has potential. We’re just not unlocking it right now.”
But in the cutthroat world of Formula 1, patience is a luxury. Media scrutiny is relentless, and underwhelming performances don’t go unnoticed. Horner acknowledged that the pressure is weighing heavily on the young Kiwi.
“It’s tough for him. The media’s on his back, and the pressure in this sport only grows. He’s a young guy, and we have a responsibility to look after him,” Horner said. “We know he’s a capable driver, but for whatever reason, it’s not coming together at the moment.”
Speculation about possible replacements is already swirling. Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar have both impressed in 2025, with strong performances at Racing Bulls and an eye-catching test for Red Bull in Abu Dhabi last season. But Horner refused to be drawn into discussing potential changes.
“I’m not even going to comment on that,” he said. “That’ll be your first headline.”
Still, with just two races into the season, the sample size is small. Red Bull will be poring over the data, dissecting Lawson’s struggles, and weighing their options. Every race, every lap, every sector matters now.
