Liam Lawson sets goals for his debut with Red Bull in Bahrain: “Learn everything Max Verstappen does”. Red Bull's new driver Liam Lawson has set the objectives for F1 pre-season test.

The Formula 1 season is just around the corner. Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, February 26, drivers will be busy with the only three pre-season test days at the Bahrain circuit. There will be a total of 24 hours to make the most of, to avoid arriving unprepared for the Australian Grand Prix on March 16. The new Red Bull driver Liam Lawson has set the goals he aims to achieve during these first days on track with the new car: Max Verstappen is certainly the example to follow.

The 2025 season will be a year with many rookies. From Kimi Antonelli to Oliver Bearman, through Bortoleto, Hadjar, and Doohan, without forgetting Lawson. The New Zealander has actually already made his debut in the highest category of motorsport. In both 2023 and 2024, he was called in mid-season to replace Daniel Ricciardo at the wheel of Racing Bulls. On those few occasions, Lawson showed that he deserved a seat in the main team alongside the four-time world champion.

Of course, the situation here is completely different. The pressure and the results required are extremely high, and in the neighboring box, there’s a certain Max Verstappen who has destroyed both sportingly and psychologically anyone who has sat next to him. Looking at the past and the ease with which the Milton Keynes hierarchy replaces their drivers, Lawson’s situation is far from easy.

Just a few hours ago, looking ahead to the first day of testing in Bahrain, the New Zealander outlined his goals for these three days. “Right now, our focus is quite clear. We want to adapt as quickly as possible and keep up with the front group. The tracks we’ll start with are particularly difficult because I’ve never driven a Formula 1 before.”

“For me, therefore, there’s no real expectation to go out and win races right away. It will be a step-by-step process that I’ll need to complete in the shortest time possible. Having Max as a teammate is very valuable. I need to learn from him, everything he does. There’s no one better than him. It’s about making the most of and taking advantage of this situation.”