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Max Verstappen was against the decision of replacing Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda and said his activity on Instagram was not a mistake.
F1: Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson for Red Bull (AP)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has confirmed he deliberately liked a post criticising his team’s decision to demote Liam Lawson. Yuki Tsunoda replaced the New Zealand racer after the squad’s poor runs in Melbourne and Shanghai, a move Verstappen was against from the get-go. The four-time World Champion showcased his distaste for Red Bull’s decision by his recent activity on Instagram. He liked former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde’s post which suggested the change resembled ‘bullying or a panic move’. When asked about it, ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Verstappen made it clear his action was intentional. “It was not a mistake,” he said, as per Sky Sports.
Giedo van der Garde criticised Red Bull’s early-season swap, believing it was anything but a strategic decision based on performance. He also highlighted that Liam Lawson had dedicated several years of hard work to crack the senior team, hence he deserved more than two races to prove his mettle. “In my opinion, this comes closer to bullying or a panic move than actual high athlete achievements. They made a decision – fully aware – gave Liam two races only to crush his spirit,” the F1 ex-racer wrote. “Don’t forget the dedication, hard work and success Liam has put in his career so far to achieve the level where he is now,” he added.
Max Verstappen seemingly agreed with Gideo van der Garde’s words, liking the post on his official Instagram account. “I liked the comment, the text, so I guess that speaks for itself, right?” revealed Verstappen in Suzuka. The Dutch-Belgian racer, however, refused to elaborate on his opinion on the swap to the media. “My reaction was shared with the team but in general, about not only the swap, but about everything. We discussed that already during last weekend and back at the factory,” he said. “Sometimes it’s not necessary to always share everything in public. I think it’s better,” Verstappen concluded.
Red Bull Racing have failed to find the rhythm in the ongoing Formula 1 season, especially with Liam Lawson failing to keep up with Max Verstappen on the grid. They currently sit in third place on the overall Constructors’ standings with 36 points. McLaren dominates the charts with 78 points from two wins and three podium finishes. Mercedes follows in second place with 57 points off two podium finishes. With Yuki Tsunoda’s addition to the main line-up, Red Bull will look to make amendments during the Japanese Grand Prix.
