Red Bull's ruthless gamble: Liam Lawson's rocky beginning raises questions on how their driver plan backfired since Daniel Ricciardo

Two races into the 2025 F1 season, Liam Lawson's start as Red Bull's reserve driver has not been smooth. Fast-tracked into the role ahead of more experienced competitors, the 22-year-old Kiwi is already in the firing line after a series of lackluster performances. While it is premature to make any final decisions regarding Lawson's F1 destiny, his failure has reopened the debate: is Red Bull's insatiable quest for the ultimate Verstappen teammate hurting it more than helping?


After Daniel Ricciardo left Red Bull in 2018, none of the drivers measured up to the level of Max Verstappen. Lawson now finds himself in the same shoes, unable to handle a car designed exclusively for Verstappen's aggressive way of driving.
Red Bull has had a sink-or-swim mentality when it comes to developing its drivers. Deliver now or lose your job. But this mentality has always proved counterproductive, depriving the team of a consistent long-term partner for Verstappen. Is the fault of the problem the drivers or Red Bull's management of them?
With Lawson's seat under threat, now speculation has come about as to whether Red Bull has erred in their selection criteria. They had more than one option at their disposal—retaining Ricciardo for continuity or rewarding deserving Yuki Tsunoda with a promotion.
Ricciardo, controversially axed from the Red Bull stable last season, would have been a natural fit. His experience with the team, established racecraft, and experience handling Verstappen could have given Red Bull a degree of consistency that they have been missing for years. Instead, the team chose a younger, less experienced driver in Lawson, who now stands the very real chance of being cast aside before he has even got into his stride.

Another constant problem is the Verstappen factor. Red Bull has constructed its entire car strategy on Verstappen's unique style of driving, and it is almost impossible for anyone else to draw out similar performance. Lawson, a newcomer in a ruthless climate, is now experiencing the same issue. If Verstappen himself acknowledges that the RB21 is hard to drive, what hope does any teammate truly have? This predicament brings into question an increasing worry for Red Bull: locating a driver who cannot just deal with the pressure but also get used to a car made for one of the most ruthless drivers on the circuit.

The discussion surrounding Daniel Ricciardo's possible return to Red Bull will not subside, with supporters and pundits alike questioning whether the team was foolish not to provide him with another opportunity. Red Bull could have managed their driver roster differently, say many fans, particularly after Ricciardo's impressive first test with the team. It is even said that the Verstappen camp wanted Ricciardo to replace Sergio Perez during the middle part of the season.
A Reddit user noted, “Red Bull are now in a situation where they’re unnecessarily burning through their juniors and putting even more intense pressure on the next person they hope can be the solution to the second seat.”
Rather than playing it safe with Ricciardo, the team bet on younger drivers, and now they are stuck where no one good has come up as the second driver.
Also read: Liam Lawson looks back on 'brutal' 2024 season following Daniel Ricciardo's replacement
Though Ricciardo's F1 career may currently be over, fans continue to argue whether Red Bull made a wrong move by not properly testing him in the lead team. While Red Bull is continuing to hunt for a stable second driver, that question might last for years: Did they let Ricciardo go too soon?