Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner acknowledges potential risks in promoting Liam Lawson alongside Max Verstappen for the 2025 season, drawing parallels to past challenges faced by Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon.

Lawson, with just 11 grands prix experience, has been chosen over the more seasoned Yuki Tsunoda to replace Sergio Perez. While this accelerated promotion wasn't initially planned, Perez's underwhelming season prompted the change.

Horner expresses confidence in Lawson's distinct personality and proven resilience, noting several advantages:

• Lawson's driving style closely matches Verstappen's, particularly in handling positive front-end setups
• The team is developing a wider operating window for the RB21, making it more forgiving than its predecessor
• There's a clear team hierarchy with Verstappen as the established champion, potentially reducing pressure on Lawson

The team plans to protect Lawson from excessive expectations, acknowledging that the current situation differs from when Gasly and Albon joined, as Verstappen wasn't yet a world champion then.

"The danger is there's a repeat of that," Horner explains, "But I think that Liam is a different character. He's a different personality to be able to deal with that pressure."

The decision comes after Sergio Perez, who had successfully filled the role following Gasly and Albon's struggles, faced performance challenges in the current season.

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