Lawson: “Big opportunity” to learn from Verstappen in first full F1 season

Liam Lawson believes it might be powerful to count on him to beat Max Verstappen instantly upon becoming a member of Purple Bull, and as a substitute will use a “huge alternative” to use his team-mate’s information and expertise to spice up his personal Formulation 1 expertise.

Purple Bull signed Lawson to switch the waning Sergio Perez, because the Mexican suffered a dismal 2024 after struggling to get a foothold with final yr’s RB20. Perez’s difficulties set the group again within the race for the constructors’ championship, and so Purple Bull elected to modify drivers.

Lawson, who solely has 11 grands prix below his belt, beat former RB team-mate Yuki Tsunoda to the seat; regardless of being set for his first full season, the Kiwi anticipates that he’ll instantly be in comparison with Verstappen by these inside and outdoors the championship.

In his evaluation of his state of affairs forward of his first race for Purple Bull, Lawson mentioned that his plan for the yr was to faucet into Verstappen’s suggestions and information, and try and study from that to begin matching the four-time champion.

“It is only a huge alternative to have anyone like Max [to learn from]; when he got here into the game [he] was already very, very quick; in 10 years he is received 4 world championships, and he is very skilled,” Lawson mentioned in Melbourne.

“I believe that is extra of a possibility than something for me coming in right here in successfully my first time beginning a season, doing a full season – to have him as a team-mate to study off is massively priceless.

“I believe I simply want to have a look at it that means and benefit from that greater than something.

“All of us consider we’re one of the best deep down, and clearly I’ve that self-confidence, but additionally realistically the place I’m coming in now towards anyone who’s been 10 years on this group and received 4 championships, then it is not likely honest for me to count on myself to return in and beat anyone like that off the bat.

“For me it is about utilizing him to get higher and to develop as rapidly as potential and get in the direction of that aim of profitable as quick as potential.”

Lawson defined that his first experiences with the RB21 have been encouraging, though admitted that there was little to go on given the paucity of operating in pre-season testing.

After Bahrain testing, Verstappen had underlined that there have been areas of the automotive that he felt wanted enchancment, and Lawson felt that their suggestions was aligned on which path the automotive wanted to go.

“It feels good. Clearly Max is gonna have a a lot clearer indication as a result of from what he is pushed up to now as a reference,” the Kiwi added.

“From the place I sit, it is extra adapting to what it’s, and actually making an attempt to match what he is doing. To date it feels good, however actually, in pre-season testing you do not actually get the clearest of indications.

“I believe feedback-wise [we’re] fairly comparable, when it comes to what we’re feeling from the automotive and what path we wish to clearly push, nevertheless it’s as much as us to drive what we’re given to one of the best it may be pushed.”