Max Verstappen claims Racing Bulls' car is 'easier to drive' with teammate Liam Lawson set to be dropped
Updated . First published at
Max Verstappen has acknowledged that Red Bull Racing's cars are more difficult to drive than the challengers of its junior team, Racing Bulls.
The four-time reigning world champion has started the season strongly, finishing second in Melbourne and fourth in Shanghai to position himself second in the standings.
But after years of domination, it appears that Red Bull's cars are no longer the fastest on the grid, with the RB21 off the pace compared to McLaren's MCL39.
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Verstappen's new teammate, Liam Lawson, has also struggled in the opening two rounds of the season. The Kiwi youngster is set to be demoted to Racing Bulls ahead of the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix in a switch with partner Yuki Tsunoda.
Red Bull Racing pairing Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson. Getty
Lawson started his Formula 1 career with the junior team.
As a Red Bull junior driver, Lawson tested for Racing Bulls (previously named AlphaTauri and more recently RB) in December 2021 before he was named as the reserve driver for both Red Bull-owned teams.
In August 2023, Lawson was called upon to step into Daniel Ricciardo's AlphaTauri after the Australian fractured his hand during practice in Zandvoort.
Lawson subsequently made his F1 debut at the Dutch Grand Prix where he finished in 13th position.
He drove in the next five grand prix as Ricciardo recovered from surgery, scoring two championship points with a ninth-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix.
In October the following year, Redbull Racing announced Lawson as Ricciardo's permanent replacement for the remaining six races in the 2024 season.
RB drivers Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo during the 2024 season. Mark Thompson via Getty Images
Lawson scored four championship points after top-10 finishes in Austin and Sao Paulo.
However, since being named Sergio Perez's replacement at Red Bull for 2025, the 23-year-old has been unable to capture the same form he showed in the junior team.
Speaking after last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, Verstappen claimed that Lawson would find the Racing Bulls' VCARB 02 much easier to drive than Red Bull's RB21.
"If you put Liam in the Racing Bulls car, he will go faster. I really think so," he said.
"That car is easier to drive than ours. I also notice that when I talk to Liam.
At first glance, Verstappen's comments appear to rank his Red Bull challenger secondary on pace, though it is unlikely that he was criticising his car's speed.
Liam Lawson in pitlane during a tough weekend at the Chinese Grand Prix. LAT Images
For years, Red Bull's cars have been specifically built around Verstappen's unique driving style.
Because of his rigid technique, the Dutchman has a preference for cars with a sharp front end and a loose rear end, which other drivers find difficult to control.
His preference is built into the design of the chassis and componentry itself, which makes it difficult for the team to change drastically how the car handles week to week.
This point has also been reiterated by another of Verstappen's short-term teammates, Alex Albon.
"People say the car is built around him [Verstappen]," he told The High Performance Podcast this month.
"The car is what it is, he is very quick. So, with his unique driving style, it's not that easy to get along with."
After qualifying dead last for the grand prix in China, Lawson admitted he was struggling to come to grips with the RB21.
"It's just a very small window," Lawson told Autosport of the car's sensitivity.
"It's hard, you know. It's hard to drive, to get it in that window.
"I'd like to say that with time, that'll come. I just don't have time to do that, it's something I need to get on top of."
