MAX VERSTAPPEN SLAMS RED BULL: LAWSON’S TWO-RACE AXING “RUINED” HIS TOP-TIER CAREER PATH
Max Verstappen critiques Red Bull’s cutthroat driver strategy, claiming Liam Lawson never got a fair shot at the top team seat.
Max Verstappen thinks Liam Lawson didn't get a fair shot at Red Bull. Getting dropped after only two race weekends could mess up a driver's whole career, he says.
Verstappen thinks kicking Lawson off the team ruins a driver's chances.
Lawson got the Red Bull seat for the 2025 season, picked over Yuki Tsunoda. Christian Horner, who used to head up Red Bull, said that the team felt Lawson had more potential, which is why they went with him.
But after only a few races, Lawson was sent back to Racing Bulls because he didn't get out of Q1 in three tries.
Verstappen made his feelings known when he liked a post on Instagram by Giedo van der Garde, a former F1 driver, who said Red Bull's choice was almost like bullying.
When asked about it in Japan, Verstappen said, I liked what the comment said, so I guess that says it all.
Helmut Marko, who used to advise Red Bull on motorsports, admitted that Verstappen didn't agree with Red Bull's choice.
Marko told De Telegraaf, We know Max isn't happy. But we need two fast cars, not just for the Constructors' Championship, but also to help Max win his fifth title.
But switching Lawson out for Tsunoda didn't help Red Bull's results. The Japanese driver only scored 30 points in 22 race weekends, which is way less than Verstappen's 421.
Lawson took a few races to get used to Racing Bulls, but he did well and scored 38 points. He even finished P5 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, beating Tsunoda.
Even though Lawson bounced back, Verstappen still isn't happy with Red Bull's choice.
Verstappen told Viaplay, I didn't think it was right to only give him two races. You end up wrecking someone's chances with a top team.
He added, I think Lawson has done well to recover. He could have easily thought, 'Forget it, this isn't fun anymore.'
Either way, two races isn't enough time to judge someone, he said.
Lawson will stay with Racing Bulls next season. Verstappen will get another teammate at Red Bull since Isack Hadjar is being promoted. Tsunoda will be Red Bull's reserve driver.
When asked why his teammates, especially Tsunoda, can't keep up with him, Verstappen says it's because of the car's setup and how he feels in the car.
Verstappen said, They try to copy my setup. But every driver has their own style. After a while, you start to get on the same page, especially in the second half of the season. We usually had the same ideas, but I liked a little more understeer than Yuki.
FERNANDO ALONSO CONFIRMS ZERO PERFORMANCE UPGRADES FOR ASTON MARTIN BEFORE SUMMER BREAK
Fernando Alonso warns fans of zero performance upgrades for Aston Martin until autumn as cockpit vibrations ruin race pace.
Fernando Alonso doesn’t see things getting any better for Aston Martin until the back half of the season. The start of their 2026 F1 run has been downright rough.
Their fresh partnership with Honda just isn’t clicking. Both drivers can’t get out of Q1 in qualifying, and points? Forget it. After four rounds, Aston Martin and Cadillac are stuck at the bottom of the standings with zero points.
It’s not just a lack of speed, either. Alonso and Lance Stroll have been fighting nasty car vibrations all year, so bad that team boss Adrian Newey said after Australia, both drivers were worried about permanent nerve damage in their hands and feet.
Miami didn’t offer any relief. Alonso and Stroll both finished a lap down, 15th and 17th. At 44, Alonso accepts this might be the new normal for a while.
When someone asked if Canada might bring some improvement, Alonso shut it down quickly. "No. Maybe we’ll get a little better on drivability, but not on performance," he said. "We just have to stick together. It’s going to be a tough race.”
He knows these weekends will get repetitive. "We have to face the media every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday," he said, and when a journalist apologised, Alonso just shrugged it off: "You’re just doing your job. We drive fast, but the message is the same every week."
Aston Martin doesn’t have upgrades coming until after summer break. Alonso expects Canada and Austria to look just like Miami, and keeping everyone’s frustration in check is the new challenge. Still, he figures the team is staying calm and focused on having a stronger finish to the season.
Looking further ahead, Alonso said last month he’s open to sticking around F1 after his current contract ends. The two-time world champion, who took his titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, will be close to 450 grands prix by the end of this season.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
