Insiders tip 'few more races' for Liam Lawson

Mar.25 (GMM) Insiders are questioning rampant speculation that Liam Lawson has already raced Red Bull’s 2025 car for the last time.

As the Formula 1 weekend came to a close in Shanghai, even authoritative sources were claiming that Max Verstappen’s struggling new teammate would be replaced for Suzuka by Yuki Tsunoda.

One insider spotted Dr Helmut Marko in the Alpine garage, ramping up rumours that Tsunoda’s replacement at Racing Bulls would be Franco Colapinto.

That seems unlikely, given Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore’s obvious plans to put Colapinto in struggling rookie Jack Doohan’s race cockpit sooner rather than later.

“Doohan and Briatore is a forced marriage,” former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland. “I don’t get the feeling Flavio thinks much of him.

“He (Doohan) hasn’t covered himself in glory so far and has made a lot of mistakes. I think his days at Alpine are numbered.”

As for Lawson’s rumoured Red Bull departure, insiders are also questioning whether that will happen.

“I do believe that he will get a few more races,” former Haas boss Gunther Steiner told RTL, “although at some point you have to conclude that it just isn’t working.

“Lawson drove good races last year, and two years ago as well, but in a team with Max Verstappen it apparently doesn’t work.”

Former F1 driver Christijan Albers also thinks Red Bull would be making a mistake by kicking Lawson out before he even gets to a circuit he has raced on before.

“Helmut Marko should be fully supporting his drivers,” he told Viaplay. “And it doesn’t matter anyway – let him drive in Japan first!

“Then you can really assess him and decide that he is broken after that, or that on the other hand he does reasonably well there and is gaining confidence. But not now,” Albers added.

Lawson, 23, had also inadvertently contributed to the narrative of his imminent axe by saying repeatedly in China that he doesn’t have “time” to improve.

“I meant we are already in the season and I don’t have time to test the car,” said the New Zealander. “We’re in the season and with each race we are losing points.

“That’s what I meant when I said I don’t have time. But I’m not stupid and I understand that I’m here to deliver. And if I don’t, I won’t be here.”

Lawson also sounds hopeful he will still be Verstappen’s teammate at Suzuka.

“Fortunately, we’re going to be racing on a track that I know and like,” he added.