New Zealand driver Liam Lawson has issued a clear response after he was demoted by Red Bull Racing after the first two races of his debut F1 season with the team.
Lawson dropped back to the Racing Bulls to be replaced by former team-mate Yuki Tsunoda in Red Bull's primary team, where he is now partnered with four-time world champion Max Verstappen.
Tsunoda took over Red Bull's second seat after the Chinese Grand Prix, where a second disappointing performance from Lawson moved Red Bull bosses to make the change just two races into the season.
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The 23-year-old was shocked by Red Bull's brutal decision. He spoke to the media before the Japanese Grand Prix and was defiant about team principal Christian Horner's interpretation of events, according to Racing News 365.
"I think confidence-wise it doesn’t change a lot," said Lawson, addressing the suggestion that Horner had acted in the interests of the team's duty of care to the driver, whose confidence was subsequently brought into question.
"We all have enough self-belief to be here and to make it to Formula 1. If you don’t have that self-belief, it makes it very difficult.
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"So I think we all have that naturally. It doesn’t really change how I feel about myself. I think what it’s doing for me… Obviously, the best opportunity I had felt like it was with Red Bull Racing. That’s what we’re all working towards.
"That’s what I was working towards since joining the junior programme as a 16-year-old. So obviously, I would have liked to make that opportunity work and that’s in my best interest."
Lawson has competed in 14 races in F1 since graduating from Super Formula in 2023. He joined Red Bull in 2019 and the latest development is a bitter blow. Red Bull officials admitted that his promotion to the second car was premature and that his confidence was affected.
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The New Zealander finished one place higher than Tsunoda in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka on Sunday. Verstappen topped the podium, winning from pole to claim his first victory of the new season.
F1 now heads to the Middle East for Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir.
Topics: Formula 1, Red Bull Racing, Liam Lawson
Chris Nee