Liam Lawson has been advised he can both make a reputation for himself at Pink Bull or be the following driver out of the door ought to he endure in opposition to Max Verstappen.
With simply 11 grands prix below his belt, Pink Bull staff principal Christian Horner and advisor Helmut Marko decided that Lawson can be Verstappen’s new team-mate for this season after Sergio Perez’s companies had been allotted with on the finish of final yr.
Lawson has been advised by Horner to easily deal with his efficiency somewhat than wanting over to the opposite facet of the storage at what Verstappen is doing, however that shall be simpler mentioned than finished.
All of Verstappen’s earlier team-mates – Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Sergio Perez – have been judged in opposition to the Dutchman’s performances, and it is going to be no completely different for Lawson, based on former Pink Bull driver David Coulthard.
Talking on the RacingNews365 Podcast, which you’ll view or take heed to on Monday [Mar 10], the 13-time grand prix winner mentioned: “Whether or not Liam has a 10-race, 11-race benefit over the opposite rookies, I do not suppose issues. He shall be straight in comparison with Max.
“If he will get near Max or beats Max, he has a protracted profession in System 1. If he would not, then the bell will ring and in will come the following contender.”
Lawson has beforehand said he doesn’t take into account himself a rookie given his degree of expertise. In years previous when Coulthard was racing, 11 grands prix would have been two-thirds of a season.
At current, with 24 races on the calendar, it’s nonetheless simply shy of half a season, in distinction to the 5 drivers who’re rookies this yr – Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto, Jack Doohan and Isack Hadjar.
All 5 shall be below the highlight for various causes and could have their very own efficiency targets, both private or laid out for them by the staff.
“I do not suppose we must always take a look at folks as if it is their first yr,” mentioned Coulthard. “You get one probability to make a primary impression, after which, should you’re fortunate, a season to indicate that you simply’re adequate to proceed in System 1.
“That will be the identical in most sports activities. Perhaps staff sports activities are barely completely different to System 1 the place you are dedicated to 2 drivers for the season, however groups have reserve drivers.
“You are at all times going to need to go for efficiency over anything. So you have simply acquired to get on with it.”
‘Being a rookie not a adequate excuse’
Within the lead-up to the three days of testing in Bahrain not too long ago, and in addition mentioned throughout it, a lot was manufactured from the actual fact the rookies would solely have a day and a half behind the wheel to rise up to hurry with their staff’s automobile for this yr.
Drivers have entry to simulator instruments and an array of previous vehicles, below the Testing of Earlier Automobiles laws, that enable them to rise up to hurry as rapidly as potential to make sure they hit the bottom operating for the opening grand prix, which this yr is in Australia on March 16.
Coulthard feels there aren’t any excuses for a rookie nowadays.
“Adaptability is a part of the talent set of racing drivers,” he mentioned. “Ayrton Senna, to call one of many very best, arguably the best, went straight from F3 to System 1.
“Kimi Räikkönen went straight from System Renault to System 1. He did his first take a look at round Mugello, a correct, scary racetrack, and impressed Sauber, after which all of a sudden he is a grand prix driver. There are various different examples.
“I had finished three years of testing with Williams, testing for [Nigel] Mansell, [Alain] Prost, starting of the season for Senna. However the first time I drove the FW16, which was the ’94 automobile, was rolling out the pits for qualifying in Barcelona as a result of pre-season testing had been stuffed with Ayrton and Damon [Hill] testing the automobile.
“So I would by no means pushed the automobile and I am going out to qualify. I wasn’t a rookie, however it was a brand-new automobile and I had 4 units of tyres and an hour to exit and uncover it. You simply should get on with it.
“Antonelli is undoubtedly the best-prepared of the rookies by way of mileage. Mercedes has understandably given him a two-year-old automobile and he is examined extensively to deliver him up to the mark.
“And should you’re adequate, you are sufficiently old. And should you’re adequate, you are not too outdated, as proven by Max coming in at 17 and Fernando [Alonso] nonetheless being there at what 43, 44, no matter age he’s.
“After all, you may’t put a smart head on younger shoulders, however expertise’s expertise. So inevitably the younger rookies shall be higher variations of themselves by the point they get to the ripe outdated age of 25. But when they’re fast sufficient, they will simply…
“Being a rookie is not a adequate excuse these days.”
