Christian Horner says Red Bull will support struggling F1 driver Liam Lawson

SHANGHAI – Red Bull will support struggling Liam Lawson as best they can, team boss Christian Horner said after the New Zealander drew a blank for the second race in a row with questions being asked about his Formula One future.

Lawson replaced Mexican Sergio Perez for the 2025 season and has been paired with four-time world champion Max Verstappen in one of the toughest jobs in the sport.

Lawson, 23, did not finish the Australian opener on March 16 and came in 15th place at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on March 23 after qualifying last and starting from the pit lane. He also failed to score in the sprint race on March 22.

Verstappen, meanwhile, is second in the drivers’ standings.

The situation has raised questions about how long Red Bull will give Lawson, with Japan’s Yuki Tsunoda in good form at sister team Racing Bulls and eager for a swop.

“Liam is a great little racer. He gets his elbows out, he races hard. He’s just struggling at the moment, finding the limit with this car and getting the most out of the car,” Horner told Sky Sports television.

“As a team, as a group, we’re looking to support him in the best way that we can.”

Horner recognised that Red Bull needed both drivers scoring to have a hope of reclaiming the constructors’ title from McLaren.

“You need to have a second car in play. You can’t just do it one-legged,” he said.

Lawson said on March 22 he did not have the luxury of time, meaning also time in a car that even Verstappen has said is tricky to drive, and Horner did not offer much immediate support.

“Formula One is a pressure business, isn’t it? There’s always time pressure. He knows that. Hopefully,