Liam Lawson has been handed a golden opportunity by Red Bull this year after it decided he was the right driver to replace Sergio Perez.
After just 11 grand prix starts, Lawson has been paired with Max Verstappen as the four-time champion seeks a fifth straight crown.
The Kiwi has long been in the Red Bull pipeline. He has claimed that, as a result of feeling pressure to succeed under Helmut Marko's tough leadership, he is well equipped to go up against Verstappen, a driver who has steamrollered most of his previous team-mates.
What could prove troublesome for the pair of drivers is the RB21 machine itself.
It is set to be shaken down the day before pre-season testing begins, with the new car hitting the track on February 25th, but it comes with challenges for Red Bull.
Although the RB20 just about got Verstappen over the line in 2024, it was a fickle beast, with the team spending most of the summer and early autumn scratching their heads as to why it was not performing.
Preliminary reasons were found, but without the technical genius of Adrian Newey, will the team be able to solve its problems?
And given Verstappen's tendency to crush team-mates, F1 fans believe Lawson could have a similar problem to those who have gone before.
As part of a pre-season series, RacingNews365 has asked readers to vote on each team-mate line-up and who they believe will come out on top.
The overwhelming results are available below, and the article continues after the table.
Which Red Bull F1 driver will score the most points in 2025?
| Driver | Result |
|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | 90.75% |
| Liam Lawson | 9.25% |
Analysis
Daniel Ricciardo was run out of town; Pierre Gasly sank believing he could beat Verstappen; Alex Albon could not live with the Red Bull's traits, and Perez was eventually burned out trying to keep pace.
That's the trail of bodies Lawson must step over as he joins Verstappen at Red Bull.
Although any driver worth their salt will go in believing they could better the quadruple champion, it is a daunting prospect that will either make or break Lawson.
If he can get somewhere near Verstappen - akin to where Perez was in 2022 and the early stages of the 2023 and 2024 seasons - he will do exactly what Red Bull needs him to.
If Verstappen finishes first, Red Bull needs Lawson to be scoring a podium. If Verstappen is leading and drops out, Red Bull needs Lawson to pick up the pieces.
On paper, it is a simple equation for the New Zealander. His mental toughness for the role has been played up by new boss Christian Horner, with Lawson already showing examples.
During his F1 debut at the 2023 Dutch GP, he jumped into the car on Saturday morning after Ricciardo's injury, and in torrid conditions in the race, did well to bring it home in one piece.
He would later go on to score points in an uncompetitive car at the Singapore GP, traditionally one of the toughest races, even for experienced drivers, let alone one in just his third race weekend.
Lawson will go into the season fully aware of the riches and rags on offer depending on how he does, but unless he pulls out a miracle, it is almost certain he will not be beating Verstappen, who is now 'the man to beat'.
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they discuss Lewis Hamilton's next two big Ferrari tests and reflect on last weekend's Daytona 24 Hours. Max Verstappen was a big talking point in Daytona, with multiple drivers calling for him to enter.
Rather watch the podcast? Then click here!
Most read
In this article
Join the conversation!