Liam Lawson hints Christian Horner didn’t give him one thing he ‘needed’ in disastrous Red Bull stint

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Liam Lawson has recently shown some signs of recovery after the brutal blow of losing his Red Bull seat just two races into the 2025 season. It has understandably taken time for him to readjust at Racing Bulls.

Lawson finally scored his first points of the year at the Monaco GP when he finished eighth. Three races later in Austria, he posted the best result of his career with P6, which was also where he qualified.

These results were crucial given that Lawson is fighting for his Formula 1 future. His contract is up at the end of the season.

The consensus is that Lawson is unlikely to get another chance at Red Bull after his historic failure. But speaking to the sport’s official website, he explained the real reasons for his woes.

Liam Lawson adamant his confidence didn’t ‘take a hit’ at Red Bull

Lawson remains a Red Bull employee, but that didn’t stop him from criticising the team. He felt he wasn’t given the time he needed.

He pointed to the reliability issues he experienced in testing and during Australian Grand Prix practice. The New Zealander hadn’t driven an F1 car around Albert Park or indeed the Shanghai International Circuit before.

Lawson also emphatically rejected the narrative that his confidence unravelled in the first two races. He says his mindset would only have changed if he was still struggling after half a season.

While replacement Yuki Tsunoda has managed to score points – unlike his predecessor – he hasn’t been a significant upgrade. Indeed, Lawson is two points ahead of the Japanese driver in the standings.

“I think I would say one thing to be clear about is that between the first couple of races, to the team switch, then going to Japan, mentally for me nothing changed,” he said.

“It’s been very heavily speculated that my confidence took a hit and stuff like this, which is completely false. From the start of the year, I felt the same as I always have.

“I think in two races, on tracks I’d never been to, it’s not really enough for my confidence… maybe six months into a season, if I’m still at that level, if the results are still like that, then I’d be feeling something – maybe my confidence would be taking a hit.

“I was well aware that those results weren’t good enough, but I was just focused on improving, fixing and learning, basically. I was in the same mindset as I have been since I came into F1.

“I think that was the biggest thing going into a team like that, in a car like that… it was going to take a bit of time to adjust and learn. With no proper testing, the issues in testing, the issues in Melbourne through practice… it wasn’t smooth and clean. I needed time, and I wasn’t given it.”

Christian Horner was wrong about Liam Lawson’s Red Bull woes

Lawson was speaking at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend, shortly after Christian Horner was relieved of his duties at Red Bull. Perhaps his comments were directly aimed at his former boss.

After the swap was announced, Horner said the poor results were ‘affecting Liam quite badly’, noticing a palpable ‘weight upon his shoulders’. The 23-year-old strongly disagrees.

Max Verstappen disagreed with the decision to drop Lawson, which he felt was a distraction from the car’s fundamental handling issues. The world champion has admirably driven around them, but several of his teammates have looked lost.

Should he keep his drive, Lawson could partner another rookie in Arvid Lindblad next season. He may need Isack Hadjar to be Red Bull’s next signing to relieve the pressure.