New Zealand press accuses Red Bull

      In the homeland of Liam Lawson in New Zealand, they are perplexed about the rumors about the replacement of the rider before the Japanese stage. The local press asks quite logical questions to the team's management.

      "The blame for the current situation should be borne by Red Bull Racing, not the 23-year-old racer," Luke Slater writes on the pages of the local The Herald. "How could they not see the huge risks in signing Liam for 2025, when he has only 11 Grand Prix wins in two seasons with their junior team? It's incomprehensible. Even Verstappen, one of the best drivers in Formula 1 history, had twice as much experience when he was transferred to Red Bull Racing.

      Team principal Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, who oversees the young pilot program, deserve commendation. But signing a contract with Lawson is not the decision of a serious racing team.

      It's amazing that by transferring him to the main team, they didn't give him time to adapt. Lawson must be offended that Horner refused to publicly support him in the fight for a place at Red Bull after only two stages. Especially considering that he lost a lot of time in the car during both the pre-season tests in Bahrain and the first stage in Australia, and through no fault of his own.

      Lawson was open, responsible and honest in his performances. Whatever his fate, it is unlikely that we will see the same responsibility on the part of the Red Bull management.

      The problems with the current Red Bull car, designed to meet Verstappen's needs and desires, are well known. Verstappen managed to get the most out of her, but now it's more like a place somewhere in the top six, rather than at the top of the podium. The Dutchman is a rare talent, but more importantly, he has the tools to handle this machine. Lawson doesn't have any.

      Did Red Bull provide Lawson with the necessary support? Look at the thousands of miles that young rookie Kimi Antonelli received from Mercedes as part of the testing program for previous cars. Yes, Lawson had a little experience replacing Daniel Ricciardo at RB, but a few trips to the track behind the wheel of a weak team from the middle group, hardly comparable to playing with the reigning champion in a team that strives to win both championships."