F1 is a cut-throat business, and no team has a sharper knife that the Red Bull team, as the sacking of Liam Lawson after just two races for Red Bull proves. But is/was Liam Lawson that bad? Compared to the others since the glory days of Daniel Ricciardo? For no reason in particular, we have dived into stats and stuff to look at the Red Bull Number Two Drivers from 2019 in this F1 Stats Extra.
Red Bull Number Two Drivers Stats
Here are a quick bunch of stats from our F1 databases to highlight the various claims and lack of claims of the Red Bull Number Two Drivers.
The stats show why Red Bull got Sergio Perez to hang around for so long, as his first two seasons were quite good. The first two seasons saw the lowest average grid slot and the gap to Max Verstappen half of the next best seasons.
In terms of the gap to Max Verstappen, even Sergio Perez’s third season is still better than any other driver’s effort even though the rot had started to set in.
Although some of the stats show that both Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon were better than 2023 era Sergio Perez, so were probably harshly treated.
Neither Gasly nor Albon failed to get out of Q1. Something that Serio Perez did nine times between 2023 and 2024. And Liam Lawson has done twice in two races.
Liam Lawson’s gap to pole position is actually better than both Gasly’s and Albon’s in the season’s where they started in the Red Bull. But the grid is currently quite compeditive, so overall the gap to pole has reduced across the whole field.
SO, WHO’S TO BLAME?
CHRISTIAN HORNER
Anyone who is ultimately responsible for Liam Lawson over a multiple Grand Prix winner like Carlos Sainz is at fault. Whilst there might be politics and egos to consider, ultimately you are there to run the best team possible, and the best driver available was Carlos Sainz. A real leader would make the right decision. It’s going to look extra foolish when Max Verstappen leaves anyway, and the next best driers have quickly re-signed at McLaren.
HELMUT MARKO
For his soul crushing, dream destroying way of handling prospective F1 drivers, who are scared sh!tless of failing by the time they get their chance at F1.
LIAM LAWSON
For all the harshness of his demotion, Lawson ultimately hasn’t been good enough, and that’s not great after bigging yourself up in the media. A slightly more humble persona might have got more sympathy and time.
MAX VERSTAPPEN
For establishing a benchmark that is making it impossible for Red Bull to have a decent second driver.
NETFLIX
For inflating the egos of way too many F1 folk, especially Christian Horner, which probably leads him to no-self-shit-stink opinion of himself. As his fame has risen in the past couple of seasons, Red Bull have gone from winning everything to losing Adrian Newey, the Constructor’s Championship, a few decent drivers and a chunk of respect. Netflix also didn’t help Lawson by their hero status of Daniel Ricciardo, he could never win.
WHAT CAN THEY DO?
Perhaps they could decide the 2026 driver now and force them into an older car and made to test every week until the 2026 season starts.
Or perhaps they could entice George Russell from Mercedes and if he can’t drive the car then it really is a piece of sh!t.
Or more fun, for FP1 and FP2, there is only one Red Bull on track and three Racing Bulls. The quickest time after both practice sessions gets to drive the Red Bull for the rest of the F1 weekend. Which means the Red Bull driver can change every week. Spice that up by a rule if any driver is dead last of those three drivers for five straight weeks, then you are sacked compeltely.
Rehire Adrian Newey.
Get someone else in charge.
FINALLY A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE
