Liam Lawson: “Performances Not Good Enough” After Qualifying Last

Red Bull driver Liam Lawson has admitted his performances are “not good enough” after qualifying last for Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix. He stated, “I don’t have time,” highlighting the pressure to improve quickly.

Lawson, who replaced Sergio Perez, was eliminated in Q1 for the second qualifying session this season, as well as in the Sprint Qualifying in Shanghai on Friday.

In contrast, his teammate Max Verstappen qualified fourth for the Chinese Grand Prix, finishing just slightly behind pole-sitter Oscar Piastri.

Lawson stated, “It’s just really tough. The window is really small. That’s known but it’s not an excuse. I’ve got to get a handle on it. It was a messy session, and even without traffic issues, it still wouldn’t have been good enough.”

“To be having those issues and that’s the reason we get knocked out, we should be fast enough on our first lap and it shouldn’t be an issue. I just need to get on top of it.”

Lawson also crashed out of the Australian Grand Prix the previous weekend and faces a significant challenge to score points in Shanghai.

Asked about the reasons for his struggles, he explained, “I think it’s just time. Unfortunately, I don’t really have time. To drive an F1 car, you need 100 percent confidence. It’s not that I don’t feel confident, but the performance window is so small that I seem to miss it, and I need to get a handle on it. It’s just not good enough.”

Red Bull had to choose between Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda. Tsunoda qualified ninth for the Chinese Grand Prix and started fifth in Melbourne. Rookie Isack Hadjar outqualified Tsunoda in China and will start Sunday’s race from seventh.

Lawson had only started 11 races before 2025, and Red Bull boss Christian Horner remained vague about a timeframe for improvement. “It’s been a tough day for him, so we’ll review it and try to provide him with the best car for tomorrow,” Horner commented.

Experts’ Opinions on Lawson’s Performance

Martin Brundle commented: “It’s a difficult period. Seeing Tsunoda’s strong performance adds to the pressure. The gap to Verstappen in Q1 was significant, and closing it is challenging. However, Lawson’s honest acknowledgment of needing improvement is the right approach. Blaming external factors would be poorly received by the team.”

Karun Chandhok added: “He needs at least half a dozen races to prove himself. It’s clearly not an easy car to handle, and judging him prematurely would be unfair. The initial races before the European leg will be crucial for evaluating his progress.”