Formula 1 2025 Season Discussion

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#3357414 26-Mar-2025 10:25

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360628813/formula-1-new-zealander-liam-lawson-dumped-red-bull-report

While not officially stated until later in the week, Liam appears out after the big meeting. Results, Honda, Japan, Marko, not surprising.

If he is that bad, with the car not seemingly the cause, why put him back at Racing Bulls?

Lets see if Yuki gets to Q3 3/10 behind Max.....

Pity, but perhaps the better for Liam if the car is such a dog to drive, he can show his wares in a real car. Hopefully he should be comfortably ahead of his new teammate, and he should be IMO

Asteros

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#3357416 26-Mar-2025 10:46

I am surprised that Liam has been much slower this year than Max. I was under the impression that Liam tested well in the 2024 Red Bull around Silverstone and had done extensive sim work. There must be a correlation problem here with actual racing conditions.

nzkc

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#3357418 26-Mar-2025 10:52

Risky move to drop Liam so quickly (just 2 weekends). If Tsunoda is not able to perform immediately (within 2 weekends) then its looks terrible for Red Bull because everyone will now (rightly) label the car a turd. And Tsunoda wont be able to contain his radio messages - which will be fun to watch. If that happens the reputation of a lot of people at Red Bull is shot.

Jaxson

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#3357424 26-Mar-2025 11:05

I just hope Liam gets an upgrade to the Racing Bulls car.

From what I've seen of likes of Daniel Ricciardo, staying in a bad car that requires a significant change to your driving style can be brutal.
That trip to McLaren broke Daniel, and I have similar vibes about the different requirements to get the best out of the Red Bull.

tdgeek

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#3357431 26-Mar-2025 11:56

Asteros:

I am surprised that Liam has been much slower this year than Max. I was under the impression that Liam tested well in the 2024 Red Bull around Silverstone and had done extensive sim work. There must be a correlation problem here with actual racing conditions.

Same driver, different car. Perez was very good then he wasnt mid season last year. Max was superb but he lost speed mid season last year. Same for Max this year. Its a dog to drive. Overheats, then lose grip. Its decent on low fuel though. I doubt Liam, Perez and Max are driving slower since mid season last year, but the car is.

Batman

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#3357432 26-Mar-2025 12:10

Asteros:

I am surprised that Liam has been much slower this year than Max. I was under the impression that Liam tested well in the 2024 Red Bull around Silverstone and had done extensive sim work. There must be a correlation problem here with actual racing conditions.

all his team radio recording shows him saying that he can't turn the car and when he goes round corners he is eating up his front tires. that sounds like what Perez was saying.

thermonuclear

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#3357437 26-Mar-2025 12:18

My understanding of the time-line was that Red Bull wasn't holding its 'emergency meeting' until Thursday UK time to discuss both the overall car performance and Liam's performance specifically. If this turns out to be correct then it's a shame the RB21 isn't as fast as it appears their knee-jerk reaction to this situation is.

As this season unfolds, I don't see how Pierre Wache holds onto his job. Since he took over leading the technical department from Newey, the car has only been getting worse. Even Verstappen, with all his skill, has been pretty uncomplimentary about this latest effort. Only Stroll got less running in the AM at testing than Verstappen and Lawson did, the team has been scrambling from the get-go to try and get the RB21 anywhere near a front-running contender.

I hope Liam gets the RB seat now, preferably with Pierre Hamlin as his race engineer as they have form together. That seems unlikely though as he's now working with Hadjar. We all remember how he drove like a man possessed at Singapore when he was given the bad news in 2023. I really hope he reacts to this potentially bad news at Japan in the same way.

Has to really get on it with Lindblad waiting in the wings, though I see he was Mr Anonymous in the 1st round of F2. Bloody shameful situation if this is how it all plays out though, just comical mismanagement of their driver programme while they try to appease Verstappen. He will surely jump ship to Mercedes or Aston Martin at the end of the season?

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Oblivian

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#3357445 26-Mar-2025 12:53

Bloody shameful situation if this is how it all plays out though, just comical mismanagement of their driver programme while they try to appease Verstappen

Not just me then. I'm not a hard core follower other than taking an interest to see how he would do getting upgraded. But from the outset I've been ashamed of the trolls and headlines without some forethought of how it's actually played out.

Someone with 6? Race condition rounds under the belt needs to be cut some slack for being chucked in a car they obviously realise was tuned for a primary driver back-up. And then gets penalised every time they try to de-tune It back to the balance between racing bull one he drove the pants off and keeping the brass happy.

I said the same this morning as someone here. If all they can do is be cutthroat to everyone Coming up because, well. They aren't Max 2.0 in his setup car v sim, if the strategy includes public support people will soon start seeing beyond the short 'lol Liam' view they have currently surely.

Jaxson

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#3357461 26-Mar-2025 13:53

Liam should have had more PR training and support.
He’s brought on a lot of this negative press on himself with the apparent arrogant attitude of I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to win races at all costs sort of approach.
Not exactly humble when you’re pulling the finger at Perez in Mexico, and clashing with Alonso - thus alienating the Spanish speaking F1 fan world etc.

As it stands now, as long as he gets the Racing Balls seat, then this is a car upgrade for Liam - back to a known team that’s performing very well, and let Yuki go to Red Bull. Given Liam is so new to the sport really, this is how it always should have been.

So, in summary, I’m more than happy as long as he gets to stay in F1. Blessing in disguise to get out of that second seat asap

langi27

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#3357465 26-Mar-2025 14:23

Its gonna be all or nothing for Yuki. I would think this was the ultimate pressure cooker. Knowing that Lawson couldn't drive it, and having to get in and preform on your home race where every fan is watching every step. I guess he just needs to do better than last place and they will likely keep him in it. Lawson needs to beat Hajar or he will defiantly be shown the door. Brutal man, sucks for all Lawson fans, but ultimately he has a lifeline that could work out long term.

GV27

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#3357467 26-Mar-2025 14:34

langi27:

Its gonna be all or nothing for Yuki. I would think this was the ultimate pressure cooker. Knowing that Lawson couldn't drive it, and having to get in and preform on your home race where every fan is watching every step. I guess he just needs to do better than last place and they will likely keep him in it. Lawson needs to beat Hajar or he will defiantly be shown the door. Brutal man, sucks for all Lawson fans, but ultimately he has a lifeline that could work out long term.

Yuki has huge Honda backing, they won't let him flounder. Japanese specials for Japanese races are a known thing (hello lightweight low-fuel qualy runs in Toyotas).

Given Lawson's technical gremlins and the lack of practice running, combined with how quickly RB seem prepared to dump him, you could be forgiven for asking if he ever actually got a decent crack at it at all.

Oblivian

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#3357468 26-Mar-2025 14:40

Jaxson:

He’s brought on a lot of this negative press on himself with the apparent arrogant attitude of I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to win races at all costs sort of approach.

You mean like the top tier drivers who albeit do it with less press air because they're now use to getting no sound bites from them to chew on show up in private jets to their decked out bus, walk past ignoring and refuse to talk to people and tell the voice on their radio to stop talking to them because everyone should know their place below.

Dunno. I qualify that attitude as meeting the definition also. But less spotlight as seasoned.

Meanwhile the young fella with parents in a rental to fund his dreams doesn't turn them away

Jaxson

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#3357473 26-Mar-2025 15:10

I think that’s kind of my point here. The media isn’t bringing that balanced viewpoint and a good PR team should be educating Liam on that. You could argue the others have earned their right to be arrogant, being well experienced world champions now not looking to do the media side work anymore, but regardless they are getting a pass.

Coming in all guns blazing (probably egged on by Horner etc) and needing to prove yourself has led to unfortunate press positioning and you’ve got to feel for the guy.

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#3357474 26-Mar-2025 15:11

nzkc:

Risky move to drop Liam so quickly (just 2 weekends). If Tsunoda is not able to perform immediately (within 2 weekends) then its looks terrible for Red Bull because everyone will now (rightly) label the car a turd. And Tsunoda wont be able to contain his radio messages - which will be fun to watch. If that happens the reputation of a lot of people at Red Bull is shot.

I see it as a move to protect Liam and remove him from the limelight and from being the target of the pack of hungry media wolves.

Jaxson

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#3357475 26-Mar-2025 15:14

Red Bull look a mess here. I heard recently the Horner situation went quiet due to a judge issuing a media ban, but that’s now heading to the courts in early 2026. So that hasn’t gone away.

They’ve lost Newey now and the current designer hasn’t produced a very drivable car. Both Max and Perez struggled in later 2024, with Max winning for the most part by his early dominance and then holding on. Constructors was lost and could have easily gone Ferrari too. How long can they keep up the design traits of this current car?

New regs in 2026 and Honda moving to Aston Martin. Will Max stay if this year is poor?

If Max goes, will anybody be able to drive the car that’s left?

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