Horner Grilled on Lawson’s Performance After Disappointing Qualifying in China
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner faced tough questions from reporter Ted Kravitz following qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, after Liam Lawson finished at the bottom of the timesheets. Kravitz questioned Horner, suggesting, “You didn’t pay Checo off for this,” alluding to the expectation that Lawson would be a stronger replacement for Sergio Perez.
Lawson’s Struggles Continue
Perez’s Red Bull tenure concluded with a poor run of form, impacting the team’s Constructors’ Championship aspirations. Lawson, stepping into the seat, has faced similar challenges. His debut race in Melbourne ended prematurely due to a crash in wet conditions.
The difficulties persisted for the New Zealander in Shanghai. He was eliminated in SQ1 during sprint qualifying. Despite improving his position during Saturday’s sprint race, he subsequently dropped to the rear of the grid, ultimately qualifying in 20th place for the Grand Prix.
Kravitz Challenges Horner on Driver Choice
Speaking to Sky Sports F1’s Kravitz about Lawson’s underwhelming performance, Horner acknowledged, “It’s been a difficult day for him today. We will thoroughly examine the data and endeavor to provide him with the best possible car for the race.”
Kravitz pressed further, questioning the rationale behind Lawson’s selection: “But you need him to score points for the Constructors’ Championship. You didn’t remove Perez to have this outcome, did you? The aim was to replace Perez with a faster driver, but is Lawson simply not quicker?”
Horner appeared unimpressed by Kravitz’s line of inquiry, reiterating, “As I stated, we will analyze the situation and do our utmost tomorrow.”
Racing Bulls Drivers Shine, Increasing Pressure on Lawson
Adding to the pressure on Lawson is the strong showing from Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls. Yuki Tsunoda has consistently performed well in qualifying throughout the 2025 season and secured Racing Bulls’ first points in Saturday’s sprint race.
Tsunoda was surprisingly passed over during the winter break, despite consistently out-qualifying Lawson in 2024. However, his impressive start to the 2025 season is making him a strong contender for future opportunities. Furthermore, with Isack Hadjar also demonstrating notable speed, Horner has several alternative driver options within the Red Bull program.
Marko Hints at Driver Evaluation
Assessing Lawson’s future with Sky Germany, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko commented on the competitive nature of Formula One. “Formula One is a fiercely competitive arena, and ultimately, performance dictates outcomes. We are taking our time to analyse the situation, and there are other drivers making strong cases for themselves. While it’s not an immediate pressure, it’s positive that we are in a fortunate position with driver talent.”
Marko continued, “This is not the situation we anticipated, but we will evaluate it calmly. Looking at the positive aspects, the Racing Bulls are performing well. Isack Hadjar, unfamiliar with this circuit, is setting impressive lap times and maintaining consistency. Success and setbacks are closely linked, and we will observe how things unfold.”