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

Liam Lawson believes it will be powerful to anticipate him to beat Max Verstappen instantly on becoming a member of Crimson Bull, and as a substitute will use a “massive alternative” to take advantage of his team-mate’s data and expertise to spice up his personal Components 1 expertise.

Crimson Bull signed Lawson to switch the waning Sergio Perez, because the Mexican suffered a dismal 2024 after struggling to get a foothold with final 12 months’s RB20 automobile. Perez’s difficulties set the workforce again within the race for the constructors’ championship, and so the workforce elected to modify drivers.

Lawson, who solely has 11 F1 races beneath 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 scenario forward of his first race for Crimson Bull, Lawson mentioned that his plan for the 12 months was to faucet into Verstappen’s suggestions and knowledge, and try to study from that to start out matching the four-time champion.

“It is only a massive 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 gained 4 world championships, and he is very skilled,” Lawson mentioned.

“I believe that is extra of a chance 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 worthwhile.

“I believe I simply want to take a look at it that method and reap the benefits of 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 in opposition to anyone who’s been 10 years on this workforce and gained 4 championships, then it is not likely truthful for me to anticipate 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 shortly as potential and get in direction of that aim of successful as quick as potential.”

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

After testing, Verstappen had underlined that there have been areas of the automobile that he felt wanted enchancment, and Lawson felt that their suggestions was aligned on which route the automobile 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 truthfully attempting to match what he is doing. Thus far it feels good, however truthfully, in pre-season testing you, you do not actually get the clearest of indications.

“I believe feedback-wise [we’re] fairly comparable, by way of what we’re feeling from the automobile and what route 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.”