“Well, I liked the comments, the text, so I think it would speak for itself, right? That wasn’t a mistake.”
Max Verstappen is not happy.
In the heart of the crowd, Dutchman, who had leaned around a small table at the temporary hospitality building, Red Bull’s home for Japan’s Grand Prix this weekend, did not discuss exactly what he said to the team about his thoughts on relegation of Liam Lawson just two races later, but he still found a way to convey the message.
Former Formula 1 driver Giedo Van Der Garde announced an Instagram post in support of Lawson a week ago. He stated the situation: And Verstappen liked it. On Thursday, he confirmed that he was the one who did that, as he agreed with the sentiment.
Christian Horner was not in Suzuka, but the driver was facing questions about the situation, but instead left Tokyo for his arrival on Friday to become the center of the story. But in his absence it was the Laurent Mekies, the principal of the Race Bulls team. On his return he encouraged a supportive and welcoming atmosphere from his personnel to Lawson – and the driver himself, the focus.
Lawson and Tsunoda had a say, but other drivers were naturally asked about the situation. And while Zonodha is a very popular figure in the paddock, all of the perspectives were not positive.
“I’m not surprised to see them moving it quickly,” Lewis Hamilton said. “But I don’t really have any opinions about the other teams.
“Both are great drivers. I think there are a lot of really great drivers here and especially young talented drivers. Of course, there’s a lot of pressure on the young people. I don’t think you’ll be able to get to the fullest on cars that aren’t necessarily the easiest cars to drive.
From the most successful Formula 1 drivers of all time to the latest race winners, there were several drivers who expressed the opinion that two races weren’t enough to judge who they were.
“I don’t think what I saw from Liam in the first two races is a reflection of his talent,” Oscar Piastri said. “I raced Liam for years and I think he’s an incredibly competitive driver. I don’t think the results he showed in the first two rounds show what he can do, so I’ll leave it there.”
The word “brutal” has often been used not only from both the media or fans’ perspectives, but also from both advanced players within the F1 paddock. Tsunoda admits that it is often the case with Red Bull, but offers an interesting view on how it is probably one of the reasons for the team’s past success.
“It was cruel enough for them to choose Liam over me at the end of last year’s season,” Tsunoda said. “That’s it. I’m sure Liam understands how quickly things change within our structure. That’s one of the reasons why we succeed, but one of the reasons why we tend to get a little more attention in those situations.
“I’m confident, I’m not saying I’m confident that I can perform as quickly as Max, but I’m sure I can do something different compared to the other drivers in the car.
“The Racing Bulls already have such a good car. They understand how to extract performance in every race so far, but I’ve been wanting to take on a new challenge, so I’m confident I’ll challenge myself, so this is why I wear this and hit the track with a different colouring.”
Mekies did their best to put a positive spin on it, but there are positive ones, but for many it creates a lot of internal conflict. Given that Lawson has little time to prove himself, the fact that he still has a seat with something to prove and an opportunity to prove it is something his new team principal is encouraging. And it’s hard to argue that it’s not great to watch.
But at the same time, you’ll find it difficult to find anyone who wants to see the horned, despite being the most likely outcome of a very tricky car for both Lawson and the much more experienced and successful Sergio Perez. And if Hornada finds tough, it’s especially cruel to see it in his home race.
The entire circuit is scheduled to cheer him on this weekend, and I think we’ll be seeing a lot from all over the world. But then, if we have a wish and the hornda works well, both drivers will be delivered and Red Bull will be proven to switch. And with an apology to the team, the final part doesn’t feel like the most positive aspect.
In particular, if it can be seen as a paper relating to Verstappen’s own rift, it cannot and should not be ignored.
“Maybe we can see how difficult it is to drive that car now,” Verstappen said. “To be honest, I don’t think we need to see anyone. What was done was done. I think it’s more important to look at ourselves and keep working and improving our cars.
“I don’t care what anyone else thinks, or “poor checco,” “poor,” or “poor.” At the end of the day, we’ve been in this situation and we need to tackle it. ”
The defending champions are not satisfied. The fares for Horneda and Lawson this weekend will be attractive to watch, but so does Verstappen’s fate.