‘That’ll teach me’… How Liam Lawson reacted when Ted Kravitz called him ‘the bad boy of Red Bull’

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Liam Lawson has angered two of the most experienced drivers on the Formula 1 grid since his return to the United States. He’s building a ruthless reputation at the beginning of his career.

Lawson collided with Sergio Perez at the Mexico City Grand Prix as he aims to take his Red Bull seat. He squeezed Perez when he tried to pass up the inside, and then kept his foot in on the outside, even after running onto the grass.

This led to contact that damaged the sidepod on the RB20 and ruled out a points finish. Lawson had to apologise after giving Perez the middle finger when he passed him later in the race.

He was also involved in an incident with fellow newcomer Franco Colapinto in the closing stages. While the stewards ruled his clash with Perez a racing incident, Colapinto received a 10-second penalty after damaging Lawson’s front wing.

A week earlier in the United States, he riled two-time world champion Fernando Alonso. The Aston Martin star was unhappy with his defensive driving in the Sprint.

Alonso confronted Lawson in parc ferme afterwards and deliberately held him up in qualifying. But there’s no sign of any lasting ill-will between the two.

Liam Lawson was ‘stonefaced’ after Ted Kravitz gave him a new nickname

It was in this context that Sky Sports F1 presenter Ted Kravitz called Lawson ‘the bad boy of Red Bull’ on media day ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Lawson wasn’t impressed by the nickname.

Speaking on Ted’s Podbook, Kravitz said that the 22-year-old didn’t engage and instead gave him a stern look. He regrets making light of a ‘serious situation’.

Lawson doesn’t yet have a contract for 2025 as Red Bull decide where to place him. He’s hoping to partner Max Verstappen but may have to settle for an RB extension if he doesn’t convince in the next four rounds.

“The bad boy of Red Bull – I did put that to him,” Kravitz said. “I didn’t get a response. He just looked at me stonefaced. That’ll teach me to try and make a joke out of what is quite obviously a serious situation if you’re Liam Lawson.”

When Yuki Tsunoda wrote off Liam Lawson’s car in junior formulae

Lawson already seems to have a decisive advantage over teammate Yuki Tsunoda in the battle to replace Perez. Tsunoda outclassed eight-time race-winner Daniel Ricciardo over the first 18 races but that has counted for little.

During a podcast appearance this week, Lawson said Tsunoda was ‘more mature’. He’s become less error-prone in his fourth F1 season without convincing Christian Horner to give him a promotion.

Some ‘hatred’ between Lawson and Tsunoda is inevitable given what’s at stake. But they’re used to battling one another.

During the Macau Grand Prix in 2019, Tsunoda wrote off Lawson’s car. Any crash between the two this year would likely trigger a furious response from Helmut Marko.