Liam Lawson believes it will be robust to count on him to beat Max Verstappen instantly on becoming a member of Purple Bull, and as an alternative will use a “massive alternative” to use his team-mate’s data and expertise to spice up his personal Method 1 abilities.
Purple Bull signed Lawson to exchange 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 change 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 Purple Bull, Lawson stated that his plan for the 12 months was to faucet into Verstappen’s suggestions and information, and try to study from that to start out matching the four-time champion.
“It is only a massive alternative to have any individual 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 stated.
“I feel 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 beneficial.
“I feel I simply want to take a look at it that manner and reap the benefits of that greater than something.
Liam Lawson, Purple Bull Racing RB21, Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing RB21
Photograph by: Purple Bull Content material Pool
“All of us consider we’re the very best deep down, and clearly I’ve that self-confidence, but additionally realistically the place I’m coming in now in opposition to any individual who’s been 10 years on this workforce and gained 4 championships, then it is probably not honest for me to count on myself to come back in and beat any individual like that off the bat.
“For me it is about utilizing him to get higher and to develop as shortly as doable and get in direction of that purpose of profitable as quick as doable.”
Lawson defined that his first experiences with the Purple Bull RB21 had been encouraging, though admitted that there was little to go on given the paucity of operating 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 path 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.
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“From the place I sit, it is extra adapting to what it’s, and truthfully making an attempt to match what he is doing. Up to now it feels good, however truthfully, in pre-season testing you, you do not actually get the clearest of indications.
“I feel feedback-wise [we’re] fairly comparable, by way of what we’re feeling from the automobile and what path we wish to clearly push, however it’s as much as us to drive what we’re given to the very best it may be pushed.”
Images from Australian GP – Thursday
On this article
Jake Boxall-Legge
Method 1
Max Verstappen
Liam Lawson
Purple Bull Racing
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