F1 Court: Was Liam Lawson the right pick for Red Bull?

12/19/2024 10:15 AM

In the first-ever 'F1 Court' SB Nation asked whether Red Bull was right to pick Liam Lawson

As someone who takes a bit of pride in describing themselves as a "reformed lawyer," I must admit that I have more than a soft spot for the military courtroom thriller A Few Good Men.

There is a scene in that movie where Tom Cruise makes an appearance at an initial hearing and after it is adjourned he pauses, looks around, and says to no one in particular "[s]o this is what a courtroom looks like."

Cruise's character was known for settling cases, rather than trying them.

Putting this piece together reminded me of that scene. Because for the first time in SB Nation history, we are taking our award-winning* series "Football Court" — where two writers advance an argument for a given proposition before a third renders a ruling — to the Formula 1 world.

The question before the first installment of F1 Court? With the announcement that Sergio Pérez is out at Red Bull, and Liam Lawson is in, was Lawson the right call for Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen?

Arguing in favor of Liam Lawson will be Counsel James Dator, and arguing the opposing view will be Counsel Mark Schofield. The Honorable J.P. Acosta will render a decision.

*My mom loves Football Court so that counts as an award.

James Dator for Liam Lawson

It's difficult to nitpick Red Bull for having too many errors in recent years. When you're the team that's won four Drivers' Championships in a row and Constructors' Championships in 2022 and 2023 you get some benefit of the doubt. That said, the biggest misstep they've had in recent years is drama.

A fractured team relationship between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez became a massive rift, and it was clear we now had two individuals locked together on a team — rather than duo with a shared goal. As Perez struggled more and more, frankly costing Red Bull the Constructors' in 2024 and allowing McLaren to sweep in, we all realized that Red Bull needed someone to take over the No. 2 seat who was going to be a steady hand, without aspirations of stardom — at least yet.

It's for this reason Liam Lawson is absolutely the correct pick to sit beside Max Verstappen. Lawson is your prototypical "Christian Horner guy," who is willing and able to do whatever the team boss asks of him. In Lawson's very short career he's known for getting steady, impressive performance out of the largely-horrific VCARB — without making a lot of stupid mistakes.

I say this as someone who absolutely loves Yuki Tsunoda, but Yuki makes a lot of dumb mistakes. The talent is absolutely there, and I have no doubt he'll be a future No. 1 driver for a team (so long as he can settle his emotions), but the truth is that Yuki is simply too emotional, aggressive, and too much of a risk-taker to be the kind of No. 2 driver Red Bull needs alongside Max Verstappen.

This is a team that simply needs someone to get in the points every race and Max can carry them to wins. Granted, we don't know how the departure of Adrian Newey will effect the team in 2025, but that's why it's doubly-important to have someone like Lawson who will nod politely, do everything asked of him, and not make any waves.

There's also a big element of personality fit here as well. Verstappen and Tsunoda might as well be oil and water. I would genuinely be worried that Max would kill Yuki by the midseason break because you can just tell there's no way they would get along.

Lawson, on the other hand, is in a position to be George Russell to Max's Lewis Hamilton: A polite, smiling robot for at least a few seasons until he begins to get aspirations of a bigger role, at which point he'll either jump to another team, or accept being the No. 2 guy.

The decision Red Bull made was the correct one. It might not be fair to Yuki Tsunoda, who doesn't deserve being stuck in the VCARB — but decisions like this can't be made based on seniority or who should be in line. Lawson was the right pick.

Mark Schofield for Yuki Tsunoda

Friends, let me take you back to Austin, Texas, and the Sunday following this season's United States Grand Prix.

Allow me to paint a picture for you. The setting? The inside of Red Bull's hospitality space in the paddock at the Circuit of the Americas. A commercial cooler is right by the entrance, stocked with every flavor of the energy drink imaginable. Graffiti-style murals adorn the walls, all with the catchphrase "Forever REBL" incorporated in some way.

Seated right next to me is Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner who, while addressing the somewhat controversial penalty Lando Norris was assessed during the United States Grand Prix, found time to praise Liam Lawson, noting how the young driver went toe-to-toe with Fernando Alonso throughout the weekend.

"I think if you're getting into a spat, and getting your elbows out with Fernando on your first race back in, you're doing all right," said Horner to the media, including SB Nation, in Austin. "And I think that he drove an exceptional race today from 19th to ninth. He was fast. He was courageous. And I thought it was an excellent come back for him."

It was at that moment I knew that Lawson would be driving for Red Bull the moment a seat became available.

It does not mean it is the right move.

Lawson is a very talented race car driver, of that there is no question. But there is a reason the second seat at Red Bull is often described as the "second seat of death." It tends to chew up and spit out many a driver.

Pérez is the most recent driver to endure that fate, as four years alongside Max Verstappen have come to a close. But others who came before him suffered that same fate, and have much more in common with Lawson.

Take both Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon, who were both given a chance to drive at Red Bull early in their careers.

Both drivers saw those stints cut short, with the team lacking the patience to wait for their development. Albon lasted just 26 races and did not finish a full season at Red Bull before losing his spot midway through the 2020 campaign.

Gasly was given even less time, starting the 2019 season with Red Bull but losing his spot after just 12 races ... to Albon.

Lawson is very talented but has just 11 F1 races on his resume. This move follows that Albon-Gasly pattern of giving a young driver a shot at one of the most prestigious seats in single-seater motorsport, perhaps before they are ready.

Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda, with 90 F1 entries — and 87 F1 starts — on his resume is on the outside looking in.

Now, maybe the fact that Pérez, despite four years at Red Bull that saw the team win two Constructors' Championships and Verstappen four straight Drivers' titles, failed to deliver what the team was looking for helped advance Lawson's cause. If a veteran did not work out this time, maybe it was time to give a younger driver a shot.

Maybe the fact that F1 is entering the final year of the current regulations before the new regulations go into effect in 2026 made this the opportune moment to try a younger driver, before everything may get shuffled anew in 2026.

But in the six races Tsunoda and Lawson were teammates this year, Tsunoda out-scored him 8-4 and finished ahead of him in four of the six races.

In addition, Tsunoda showed growth this year. Remember how this season began, with Daniel Ricciardo apparently in line for the seat at Red Bull while driving alongside Tsunoda at VCARB, and how Tsunoda let his anger show during the cooldown lap at the Bahrain Grand Prix?

From there Tsunoda reeled things in and delivered a solid season for VCARB while Ricciardo was sidelined in favor of Lawson.

Lawson is a fine choice for Red Bull, but Tsunoda is a better one.

The decision from J.P. Acosta

As someone with admittedly very little F1 knowledge, I would like to thank Counsel Dator and Counsel Schofield for their very informative information about both Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson. While Lawson seems like a safe pick with his steadiness driving the VCARB, there's one major factor here that is influencing my decision:

I want to see Max Verstappen suffer. Not only on the grid, but with a teammate that doesn't mesh with him and will challenge him at every stop. For that, I'm siding with Counsel Schofield in wanting Tsunoda for the second Red Bull spot. Tsunoda has a fiery personality and while that might lead to some chaotic moments, he's a very solid driver. However, I want to see these two personalities go at it. I don't want to see Max Verstappen have success, and if Tsunoda can play defense against that from within Red Bull, that's a great deal to me.

Tsunoda deserved the spot because he's a good driver, but for me, he would piss off Verstappen. And that matters much more.