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Horner defends Lawson amid tough Australian GP debut

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Liam Lawson’s first dance with Red Bull Racing at the Australian Grand Prix hit a sour note on Friday, as the Kiwi rookie limped to 17th in FP2 – over half a second adrift of teammate Max Verstappen on the same soft tyres.

The Albert Park practice sessions laid bare a stark gap between the four-time champ and his new sidekick, with Lawson clocking 16th in a crash-interrupted FP1 while Verstappen took fifth, a hefty seven-tenths ahead.

Both Red Bull drivers grappled with an RB21 that refused to wake up, its new floor upgrade failing to spark grip in the first and final sectors.

A candid Lawson summed things up, speaking to Sky Sports F1: “Comfortable, just too slow. We obviously have a lot of work to do overnight.”

For a debutant dreaming of keeping pace with Verstappen, it was a sobering start.

Horner’s Shield for Lawson

Red Bull’s team boss Christian Horner didn’t hesitate to throw a protective arm around his young charge, brushing off the Kiwi’s struggles as a natural part of the steep climb to partnering Verstappen.

“Liam, it’s a big step up,” Horner said. “Being Max’s team-mate is probably the toughest job in Formula 1. But he’s got the mental aptitude and strength of character to deal with that.”

He pointed to Lawson’s lack of track time at Melbourne – unlike Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar, who leveraged his F2 experience at Albert Park to snag sixth in FP2 – as a key hurdle.

“He’s not been here before, I think he’s the only driver on the grid that hasn’t done some laps around this circuit,” added Horner.

“But he’s finding his feet and giving some very good feedback, he’s settling in nicely. We’ll see over the next few races.”

Horner’s words painted a picture of patience, betting on Lawson’s grit to shine through.

Grip Eludes, Answers Don’t Come

The clear reason behind Lawson’s sluggish pace isn’t crystal clear, which is problematic in itself.

Verstappen described a car that lacked balance but that displayed no major issue, just lethargic grip. And Lawson echoed the Dutchman’s frustration.

“I think if we knew that we’d know how to fix it as well," he assured.

©RedBull

With Verstappen’s quali sims hampered by traffic – potentially masking an even wider chasm – the team faces a late-night puzzle.

For Lawson, it’s a baptism by fire, but Horner’s backing signals faith that this rookie’s tale has chapters yet to unfold.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

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