'It's a Lawson problem': Axed Red Bull driver criticised by former F1 boss

Liam Lawson has received support from Guenther Steiner to be given one final chance at Red Bull - although the former Haas team boss has also criticised the New Zealander for his lack of pace. 

It has been widely reported that Lawson is set to be replaced at Red Bull by Yuki Tsunoda, with a potential seat swap on the cards that will see the 23-year-old return to Racing Bulls. 

Lawson has yet to score a point this season and has failed to progress past the first stage of qualifying in any format, resulting in the Austrian outfit holding an emergency meeting in Dubai on Tuesday. 

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was eager for Lawson to replace Sergio Perez. It is a decision that has quickly backfired. 

Alongside Max Verstappen, Lawson was slower in Australia and China by a wide margin than the four-time F1 champion. 

In Lawson's defence, Verstappen has complained about the "slow" performance of the RB21. Not even that, though, has spared Lawson from such a brutal axe. 

Asked on the Red Flags podcast if Lawson's poor form was down to him or the car, Steiner replied: "I think it's a Liam Lawson problem. If you're half a second slower than your team-mate, you're already a lot slower. 

"But over a second, it's a difference, and I don't know what it is, because Lawson in RB, when they put him in there, he did a good job, a respectable job. So, no issue there. But going to Red Bull, he just cannot do it. 

"Maybe he puts too much pressure on himself? Maybe that's what it is. It's just too much pressure."

Give Lawson Suzuka

An obvious challenge for Lawson this season has been learning the first two circuits on the calendar as he had previously never raced at either Melbourne's Albert Park or the Shanghai International Circuit. 

Lawson has, however, raced at the next venue - Suzuka - in Super Formula, resulting in several calls for him to be granted the opportunity to compete in the Japanese Grand Prix as a Red Bull driver before a definitive decision is made.

Steiner shares this view and believes it would allow Red Bull to see the driver's true potential.

"I would say, [give] Lawson Japan, because now it's like, 'Oh, he never raced in Australia. He never raced in China,'" said Steiner.

"But let him go to Japan. He knows the race track, at least, you know how good he is there. There is not that excuse anymore, or that unknown. He knows Suzuka, he drove there in Super Formula, which are very fast cars.

"So if he can do it there, at least he gets the hope. If he doesn't get it done in Japan, it's time to change.

"That would be, my opinion. And they have got a solution. The solution is simple - swap the seats."