Lawson has a track record in racing. We can trust that he got extensive training in the RBR simulator to get him acquainted. Not the real thing, true, but it helps.
In a way, the early setbacks are a good thing as ego check. Up to him now to silence everyone with an excellent performance.
According to Jacques Villeneuve, Lawson has an attitude problem.
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Liam Lawson has 'very strange attitude' as Red Bull star called 'arrogant' by F1 champion
Liam Lawson's attitude has been called out after his Red Bull promotion.
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-au...euve-Red-Bull/
Express - Dec 25, 2024
Liam Lawson has been labelled ‘arrogant’ by 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who believes that the new Red Bull recruit has a ‘very strange attitude’ that could hamper his progress in the sport.
The 22-year-old was called up to replace Sergio Perez in the build-up to Christmas after the Mexican racer endured a miserable 2024 campaign. Lawson only has 11 Grand Prix starts under his belt, but the New Zealander’s bullish approach has already created a handful of enemies.
Lawson agitated Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso at the United States Grand Prix, with the two drivers carrying a feud throughout the weekend, which was the Kiwi’s first back in the sport after replacing Daniel Ricciardo. Then, in Mexico, he got on the wrong side of Perez, and even showed the middle finger to the home hero while overtaking him on the pit straight.
"It's early to say [how Lawson will fare against Verstappen],” Villeneuve told Express Sport in association with SpinCasino. “We've seen drivers move up to their main team and get burned really quickly. [Liam] Lawson has been quick and has done a great job in the main.
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His attitude is very strange, though. He's very arrogant for someone with such little experience. So, we'll see how that attitude works with Max and within the team. If Lawson is quick and pushes Max, there will be friction.
“But if there is no friction, it means they are not winners. Nobody likes the young gun coming in and pushing you. It either makes you go faster, or you throw your toys out the pram. New Zealand is not a country that brings huge value to F1 or brings sponsors. They wouldn't have considered that. They just want the best drivers."
While Villeneuve is concerned about Lawson’s elbows-out approach, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes that this characteristic could work to the 22-year-old’s advantage in 2025."