‘The name in the other booth won’t matter’

Max Verstappen has subtly taken a shot at his new teammate in 2025 Liam Lawson prioritizing the 2025 RB25 F1 car over it. The four-time world champion said that red bull could once again dominate the F1 grid if it provided drivers with a well-balanced car this year, regardless of who was in the other car’s seat.

Verstappen’s statements come after a challenging 2024 F1 season for Red Bull, where they lost the top two positions in the Constructors’ Championship to McLaren and Ferrari. The Dutchman also faced serious challenges in his championship battle which was threatened by Lando Norris. While it managed to secure its fourth championship title, the season served as a warning for Red Bull to up its game considering a tighter grid.

The 27-year-old’s seven wins in the first ten races of the 2024 season added a much-needed edge in his championship fight, but when the RB20 F1 car’s dwindling balance began to show its colors, teams like McLaren and Mercedes were already winning. racing. While Verstappen’s then-teammate Sergio Perez was coming under fire for his form, the car’s problems only came to the fore after the championship leader began to address them.

Unfortunately for Perez, the points disparity between him and Verstappen paved the way for his departure from Red Bull after the Abu Dhabi season finale, prompting Red Bull to replace him with Lawson. The New Zealand driver put in stellar performances in 2023 while performing reserve driver duties for Red Bull F1 Team junior driver Daniel Ricciardo.

His points performances led to him securing a seat in the same team last season, when Red Bull evaluated him alongside Yuki Tsunoda for a possible promotion should Perez be sent off. Finally, the Milton Keynes team decided to replace Pérez with Lawson. The 22-year-old now faces the formidable challenge of keeping pace with his multi-champion teammate. However, Red Bull has alleviated some of the pressure by positioning him as a support driver for Verstappen, with a primary focus on increasing the team’s overall points tally.

However, Verstappen has considered that it does not matter who occupies the second seat as long as Red Bull gives both drivers a fast car capable of leading the pack. In an interview with Blick, as reported motorsport weeksaid:

“If we get the car back in front, the name on the other booth won’t matter.

“I don’t have a crystal ball, but if we can rectify certain weaknesses over the winter, we will be back in front. But I’m certainly not making any predictions here.”

“Five teams should be fighting at the front. The weaknesses have been reduced.

“We often lacked the necessary balance because we simply couldn’t get into the low temperature window.”