The future of Liam Lawson with Red Bull after his unsettling debut at the Australian Grand Prix in the 2025 Formula 1 season has been a topic of intense discussion among motorsport pundits. In the recent episode of the Total Motorsport F1 Show, industry experts Ewan Gale and Brandon Sutton dissected the performance of this budding talent, who had a premature end to his race following a collision with the wall on Lap 47.
Lawson’s performance on his inaugural weekend was less than stellar, with a disappointing qualifying round that saw him start the race in the 18th position. Yet, despite this dismal debut, Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Horner, was quick to defend the young driver, attributing the error to sudden weather changes and a decision to keep Lawson on slick tyres in the rain.
Brandon Sutton, a journalist with Total Motorsport, supported Horner’s stance, suggesting that the 22-year-old should not be prematurely judged based on his first full season in F1. According to Sutton, a more accurate evaluation of Lawson’s abilities should be reserved for 2026. The young rookie, unfamiliar with the Australian tracks and facing unexpected weather conditions, was bound to face challenges.
Sutton further opined, “If [Max] Verstappen isn’t dominating like before, what do we expect Lawson to do?” He hinted at the likelihood of Red Bull allowing Lawson a year to acclimate, learning from the pressures they had previously exerted on drivers like [Pierre] Gasly and [Sergio] Perez.
The Australian GP was a tough race, with only 14 cars making it to the finish line. Seasoned drivers Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz retired following crashes, raising eyebrows given their extensive experience. Ewan Gale, a writer for Total Motorsport F1, pointed out that Lawson’s performance should neither sound the alarm bells nor lead to his dismissal at Red Bull. Gale theorized that the pressure of being Verstappen’s teammate could have contributed to Lawson’s crash.
Gale also criticized Red Bull’s driver program for the undue pressure it places on the second seat. He argued that judging Lawson based on one weekend’s performance was unfair. He emphasized Lawson’s potential, as demonstrated in his earlier substitute appearances for the Racing Bulls, and affirmed the illogicality of Red Bull discarding him.
In conclusion, Gale urged patience, suggesting that Lawson should be assessed under normal track conditions and with a full practice lineup. His advice to Red Bull and fans alike was to put this weekend behind them and look forward to Lawson’s performance on a ‘normal’ track under dry conditions.