Verstappen: Red Bull's 'main issue' is the car, not the drivers

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Max Verstappen has defended the efforts of his now former Red Bull teammate Liam Lawson, insisting the team's "main issue" lies with its problematic 2025 car rather than with its drivers.

The Dutchman's comments follow Red Bull's decision to demote Lawson back to Racing Bulls after just two challenging weekends alongside Verstappen, with Yuki Tsunoda stepping into the senior team for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

The swift swap has sparked a lively debate among pundits and fans alike, but Verstappen insists the focus should be on fixing the RB21's instability, not shuffling its drivers.

A Controversial Call and Verstappen's Stance

Red Bull's decision to give Lawson only two races before replacing him with Tsunoda has drawn sharp criticism, with Verstappen's countryman and former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde equating the call to "bullying" or a "panic move" on Instagram.

Verstappen, who liked the post, was queried on his agreement with van der Garde's opinion.

"Well, I liked the text, so I guess that speaks for itself, right? It was not a mistake," he said, speaking in Suzuka on Thursday ahead of this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

"My reaction was shared with the team, but in general, not only the swap, but about everything. We discussed that already during the last race weekend and back at the factory."

While he stopped short of fully elaborating, his actions suggest he wasn't entirely on board with the move, a view confirmed earlier this week by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko.

When pressed further on whether he supported the decision, Verstappen remained diplomatic, but shifted the conversation to whar he sees as the real problem.

"Sometimes it's not necessary to always share everything in public," he responded. "I think our main issue is that our car is not where we want it to be.

"Everyone knows that within the team as well and that's what I focus on, to be honest. Because as soon as the car is more competitive and more drivable in general, then I think even in the second car it will come to you anyway a bit more naturally," he said.

Lawson's Tough Start and the Car's Struggles

Verstappen also highlighted the challenges Lawson faced as a relatively inexperienced driver thrust into a high-pressure role.

"Liam did 11 races or something in total [before 2025] but over a different period of time. And I think for rookies the beginning of the season is very tough, because most of these tracks they haven't really driven on, or they merely have a sprint weekend," he explained.

"So all these scenarios don't help," he explained.

Lawson's brief stint was made harder by the RB21's unpredictable nature, a point Verstappen emphasized after spending time with engineers at Red Bull's UK factory to dissect the car's issues.

"It is a little bit more nervous, a little bit more unstable in different corner phases," he said of the RB21. "I think it's a combination of a lot of things. It depends also on the corner speed, the tarmac, tyres, overheating, bumps, kerbs.

"Some tracks are more limiting than others. Some issues are easier to solve than others. Everyone is trying their hardest to make the car faster."

The four-time world champion painted a picture of a car plagued by multiple, interconnected problems – hardly an ideal platform for a rookie like Lawson to shine.

Eyes on McLaren, Not the Driver Lineup

Despite salvaging second in Australia's rain-hit race and fourth in China, Verstappen sits second in the standings, but he's under no illusions about Red Bull's position relative to McLaren.

"Every track is a bit different, but at the moment, they are quite comfortably ahead," he said.

"Never say never. We come to every race trying to get the best out of the car but at the moment, I don't think – even if we optimise our performance – that is enough. But we keep working."

Catching McLaren, he believes, will require more than fine-tuning. "We're trying to have the performance coming this year still, but if it's going to be enough to beat McLaren it's very difficult to say, because the others are also improving," he added.

For Verstappen, the path forward is clear: Red Bull must address the RB21's flaws to unlock its potential. Lawson's demotion, while harsh, is a sideshow to the bigger challenge.

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