Lawson details Red Bull 'pressure' ahead of Verstappen test

Liam Lawson has opened up on the pressures that come with being part of the Red Bull Formula 1 set-up.

Lawson will race for the Red Bull team this year alongside Max Verstappen after being chosen to replace Sergio Perez, who endured a difficult 2024 campaign.

The New Zealander has been part of the junior team for several years and is the latest Red Bull protege to get a shot at the front-running team.

Red Bull’s junior programme has filtered through a sizeable portion of drivers during its existence and it is known for being cut-throat with its expectations.

"I think in this environment, I've been in this junior team for a long time,” Lawson told media including RacingNews365.

“[2024 was] my sixth year with Red Bull, and that pressure came when I was 16 years old, and I'd never felt pressure like that.

“I never knew that it could be like that, to be honest, going into a racing season."

Lawson stated the high-pressure environment that comes with Red Bull has allowed him to cope with the demands of F1.

“That's one of the benefits of being with Red Bull for so long is in a way it builds you for F1. To step into F1 without that experience of having that pressure on you from a young age I think would be really, really tough.

“So I'm grateful to have had that for so many years.”