The case of Lawson's sacking is not just shocking because it is actually unprecedented, even in the sinister world of Formula 1, for someone to be sacked after two races. It is much more so because of the hidden message.
New Zealand is not exactly a car nation and Liam Lawson is certainly not a super talent. It would be pointless to discuss this because these are FACTS. We have already seen both cases in practice and they certainly do not look like the former Red Bull Racing driver and his background. Helmut Marko and Christian Horner knew this well and watched as Lawson was constantly being outdone by Yuki Tsunoda, who was now in his place. And not only him, but all his suffering teammates in the Racing Bulls. He takes into account and respects all his wishes, desires and sighs. He changes as a racer, he changes as a person, he submits to everything to comply. And yet it is not clear that he will get a place in Red Bull...
Anyway, let there be no misunderstanding, I certainly don't think Tsunoda is an RBR-level driver, someone who is expected to win races, to actively participate in the fight for the constructors' title. But he is definitely better suited for the role than Lawson. But that damn money. They don't even give them the illusion that anything else matters to them when choosing a driver. Or even more sadly: they don't even give them the illusion that ANYTHING ELSE MATTERS.
Because if it made sense (for a company with such possibilities as Red Bull, I don't understand this approach at all), they would take and sit next to Max Verstappen the long-forgotten, far better and deserving of fate, willing to do anything for success, even "die" Fernando Alonso. A racer with whom the team could historically and economically transfer to another dimension. If instead of chasing business and giga-extra profits they had at least a little respect for the sporting value of Formula 1, they would say: "We, Red Bull Racing, will give the fans what they have always wanted. Damn it, let it be Rock'n'Roll!" Because they can afford it.
It's true that they can also afford to destroy young talents who deserve a better fate on the conveyor belt, and produce new and new Liam Lawsons every year. It's sad that they actually live with this right.
Photo: Planet F1
