Former Formula 1 driver Giedo van der Garde has struck a chord among some on the grid today with a strongly-worded criticism of Red Bull.
Van der Garde, who raced in F1 12 years ago, is unimpressed with Red Bull’s treatment of Liam Lawson. The team announced today it has dropped the 23-year-old after his first two appearances for them.“I’m getting a bit tired of all the comments that F1 is the toughest sport in terms of performances and when you […] underdeliver you’ve got [to] face the consequences,” van der Garde wrote in a social media post.
“Yes, you got [to] perform. Yes, the pressure is insane. But 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,” van der Garde continued.
“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. I remember my own blood, sweat and tears – and that was to reach F1. Let alone driving for an absolute top team.
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“Yes, he underperformed the first two races – but if anyone’s aware of that it’s himself. Perhaps he has suggested this himself, but if not I wish Liam all the strength and courage to get to the grid in Japan.”
Van der Garde ended his post urging Lawson to “trust yourself, get your head up, prove them wrong.”
On Instagram, four current F1 drivers ‘liked’ the post in reaction, including Lawson’s former team mate Max Verstappen. Pierre Gasly, whom Red Bull dropped after 12 appearances for them in 2019 did the same, as did McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg. Former Red Bull junior driver Richard Verschoor, who currently races in Formula 2, did the same.
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Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
27th March 2025, 16:26
There’s a perception problem in F1 following the examples of a couple of “wonderkids”. Mainly Verstappen, who raised the bar so highly. Now they are putting people in the cars, everyone goes nuts in excitement and then the system drops them in the garbage bin after a couple of mistakes.
Look how hyped De Vries was after that race at Monza, or Bearman, or Colapinto. Some are able to get more chances, but others not so much. That replicates elsewhere, and not just with Lawson. People expected Hamilton to be absolutely on it from day 1 at Ferrari (with MANY posts comparing him to Alonso, Vettel and Kimi first results at the Scuderia).
It’s the “right now” attitude that’s the problem.
stefano (@alfa145)
27th March 2025, 23:02
I somewhat agree on your main point. In fairness to truth, it would be more precise to address Lawson’s performance not in terms of “a couple of mistakes”: that would be the case if he was running a fair race (a couple of, in fact) in the points, close to benchmark (Verstappen) and then had an unprovoked mistake at the end of the race, making him conclude in the backmarker positions. That’s not what happened. He didn’t make specific mistakes, he just couldn’t make the car work for him (which he could at junior team), neither in terms of hotlap nor with race pace. It’s a matter of can you drive this Red Bull car, not a matter of can you do less mistakes. I think lack of testing, with which Red Bull could have tested and gauged him extensively beforehand, is as much culprit as the “right now” attitude per your thesis. Which I don’t find too compelling considering how long Perez was allowed to go on in a car that eventually didn’t suit him at all providing all too similar performance to Lawson’s two races stint
Optimaximal (@optimaximal)
28th March 2025, 8:39
@alfa145
It shows a bad culture at Red Bull, who had become so sure of their car dominance and reliant on their lead driver carrying them in the point scoring that they had zero contingency for the perfect storm of an underperforming second car, a technical exodus and a rival team coming on strong.
What they need to do, especially if Yuki similarly flounders (as many expect him to do) is bring in a B-spec car quickly that has less peak performance but more overall potential, like pretty much every other competitive car on the grid. As it stands, they have a car that is not the fastest on the grid, yet it can only be driven competitively by one driver – if Ferrari sort themselves out operationally, they’re on for 4th in the Constructors and Max is looking at 3rd at best in the WDC, unless McLaren self destruct.
MacLeod (@macleod)
28th March 2025, 8:12
@fer-no65 That is from a old person like me something from this time… I see it al the time around me people want things NOW (or better yesterday)
Even Max had 1 season with Torro Rosso, Red Bull made a error as they should add Yuki for 1 year (he is going to be dropped when Honda leaves) BUT pushed Lawson ahead….
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
28th March 2025, 16:32
If I were Horner, I would never let Liam near the top team again. The guys has demonstrated in the past he is not a team player by his open admissions w. the media and now he is endorsing the idea of ‘bullying’ on social media.
Lawson needs to be removed from that team ASAP, and dumped at the end of the year @ Racing Bulls. He has no business driving for RBR.
Kerry Maxwell (@kerrymaxwell)
28th March 2025, 17:19
You need to read the story again, and try and find where it says Lawson “endorses” the bullying charge.
Addme (@dontme)
27th March 2025, 16:31
For me it’s more like correcting a mistake in the first place.
They are in the unique position to have a driver get experience in a sister team with less pressure and media attention.
The RB next to Max is probably the worst place to be and I haven’t seen anything from Lawson to show that he is special anyway. So I think easing him in would be better.
Yuki’s performance will tell a lot of people about the car and him. But I think Lawson was already in such a tough spot that keeping him at RB would destroy him mentally.
If he drives great, people say he is finally driving how the car was designed and doesn’t get any credit. If he screws up everybody says Yuki should get the drive. There was no way for Lawson to win.
Jonathan Parkin
27th March 2025, 18:17
However it has been said on other threads that Yuki hasn’t tested the new Red Bull. So HE will need time to get up to speed as well
He did say though that the car suits him after the Abu Dhabi test. If it does enjoy the fireworks
Jojo
27th March 2025, 18:44
The only thing is, Tsunoda never did a qualy type run in the Abu Dhabi test. His fastest lap was 1.744 slower than Verstappen’s qualifying lap and the track was said to be well rubbered in during the test. Some of the Red Bulls worst characteristics are more if an issue when it’s being pushed to the limit.
Let’s hope that it still suits him once he’s pushing it to it’s limit.
Jojo
27th March 2025, 18:46
The only thing is, Tsunoda never did a qualy type run in the Abu Dhabi test. His fastest lap was 1.744 slower than Verstappen’s qualifying lap and the track was said to be well rubbered in during the test. Some of the Red Bulls worst characteristics are more if an issue when it’s being pushed to the limit.
Let’s hope that the car still suits him once he’s pushing it to it’s limit. It would be nice to see him do well.
Polweiss
28th March 2025, 11:18
Eager to listen to Yuki’s nextradio messages : “this car is BS man!” :) :)
Coventry Climax
28th March 2025, 15:37
I think there’s quite a couple parameters available to Red Bull to confirm -or not- that the cars suits Tsunoda.
He himself saying that has about the value of a toothpaste commercial.
For Yuki’s sake, I hope the car indeed suits him, although after this season, he’s probably gone anyway, so it doesn’t matter all that much.
For Lawson’s sake, I hope the RBR car does not suit Yuki at all, and that Lawson takes the next chequered flag waayyy ahead of Tsunoda. And that he proves Red Bull at fault here, like van der Garde suggests.
bosyber (@bosyber)
27th March 2025, 18:41
In addition to what Jonathan Parkin writes, we already know from how Perez fared, and the late season admission by the technical part of the team that his feedback should have been listened to closer as it would have helped prevent or fix the issues that led to their slump in the 2nd half when development had caught Verstappen in suffering more from the same issues. Verstappen also said he was aware of these issues, and wasn’t certain they actuallly fixed them in this years car. I’d say the team should have a good idea of what they are, even if they don’t know yet how to fix them, so what use is it to put another driver in the car who also hasn’t had much experience with this car (but had the same experience that Lawson had late last year in the RB which didn’t help him much in these first two races of the season).
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
27th March 2025, 16:31
As I posted in another article and this is my opinion and pure conjecture but I don’t believe LAW was dumped for racing reasons. It just doesn’t make sense as 1 race was wet and he hadn’t raced on either track before. I am guessing that he said things to Horner and/or Marko that they didn’t want to hear. He is young and most likely embarrassed to finish at the bottom. My opinion.
An Sionnach
27th March 2025, 17:05
Horner took responsibility for leaving Lawson out on the slicks in Australia and even Max couldn’t do a lot on that slick surface. Almost no testing; little practice… I wonder what Liam thinks. Let’s see what sort of answer or lack of one we get in the next week or so. If he doesn’t mind, then fine. It’s hard to see that they’ll be able to put anyone else in that car and have them score good points straight away. Maybe Alonso could do it. Norris could get a lot out of the McLaren when it handled poorly. That might have been different, though. I’d doubt either of these would want to join Red Bull now they’re on a downward trajectory.
I think they want to get someone in there who can score good points from the get-go. If Yuki can do it I’ll be very impressed.
Dex
27th March 2025, 17:10
Why calling him LAW? We’re not broadcast graphics. It’s not even easier to type.
Terrion (@terrion)
27th March 2025, 17:26
Lawson, the son of Law
El Pollo Loco
28th March 2025, 5:03
This is a very bizarre theory. Sounds like something someone who believes in “the laptop” would theorize.
Patrick (@paeschli)
28th March 2025, 7:47
They can pay Lawson themselves to underperform or they can be paid by Honda to have Tsunoda underperform. Seems like a no-brainer.
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
27th March 2025, 16:58
Toxic team making toxic decisions.
Red Bull gives you…
…PTSD?
Broderick Harper (@banbrorace)
27th March 2025, 20:11
They have an amazing style of management. That’s if it’s still the 1970’s.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
27th March 2025, 23:48
if max isnt winning, easily, the number 2 is driving a mule car and they will only be used to test setups, tires in changes of conditions, etc. basically what happened to Hamilton in his last 3 years.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
27th March 2025, 23:50
perez even said he was being used to setup VES car. if you were reading between the lines.
baasbas
28th March 2025, 14:18
@pcxmac
if you were reading between the lines.
Ah yes, and if you’re the between lines reading type that makes up his or her own truth you can also confidently claim the earth is flat
El Pollo Loco
28th March 2025, 5:04
As toxic as the fans of a certain driver typically always are toward Red Bull? The irony is certainly lost on them though.
Edvaldo
27th March 2025, 17:16
Finally, people are speaking out about this, even Max must feel they’re mishandling the situation.
Doggy
27th March 2025, 17:30
Max liked Gido’s post lol. So to say the least, I d think that, bare minimum, he agrees.
You can check it . It is still there as liked. Also, Piastry, Gaslight, and others have liked the post
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
27th March 2025, 22:12
Wow yeh someone bears their soul. ‘Thumbs up’. Not exactly Martin Luther is it
Jonathan Parkin
27th March 2025, 18:21
However it has been said on other threads that Yuki hasn’t tested the new Red Bull. So HE will need time to get up to speed as well
He did say though that the car suits him after the Abu Dhabi test. If it does enjoy the fireworks
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
27th March 2025, 19:36
I think 2 races is just too early to judge. Based on only judging from the results this season so far., Stroll is obliterating Alonso in the points at a rate of 100 – 0.
3 / 30 rounds complete (10% of the season).
But is this reflective of the future? I’m not sure…
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
27th March 2025, 22:25
To be fair, even Fernando accepts that
and with a straight face and everything.
El Pollo Loco
28th March 2025, 5:10
Fernando doesn’t stand a chance. The King Returns is actually a documentary based on Lance’s F1 career by a certain writer who traveled into the future and then turned it into a classic adventure epic. Gandalf is based on Newey. Sauron on Fernando. Gimli, son of Gloin, on Cowell. Legolas of the woodland realm, on Enrico Cardile. And, of course, Denethir on Marko.
BlackJack (@danieljaksa)
27th March 2025, 21:46
How long before Horner gets the boot? He appears to be the problem.
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
27th March 2025, 22:12
I guess when he stops winning races and championships
David BR (@david-br)
27th March 2025, 22:15
So by the end of this year then.
Ferdi
28th March 2025, 10:01
8 WDC’s, 6 WCC’s, 122 race victories and 283 podiums.
MichaelN
28th March 2025, 10:15
How many of those were without an engine freeze? A handful of wins from the mid 2010s at best.
Red Bull has done well in very specific circumstances. Whenever those have changed from its niche, they’ve been unable to reproduce that success.
On the upside, they at least have a niche. Ferrari has none.
Edvaldo
28th March 2025, 14:11
That’s true. When Mercedes was dominating and the cars were pretty limited in aero, the talk was that the next set of regulations, with bigger emphasis on aero, would bring Red Bull back. It didn’t.
It took two further tweaks with the regulations and a pretty debatable final race for them to win again.
From 2022 until now, they had perhaps the only active designer who had worked with wing cars in the 80s, so that in itself was a huge headstart, as Red Bull barely ever suffered from the porpoising that plagued all the other teams. Who learned the hard way about phenomena that he was aware of for decades.
They have money, they a whole other team to benefit the main team, a driver program that moves drivers like they’re pieces on a chessboard, giving them the flexibility no other team has. Does Horner deserve all the credit for their success? Probably not.
MoogleSlam
27th March 2025, 22:40
A rare moment when I agree with Verstappen, even if it’s just a Like on social media :)
Win7Golf (@win7golf)
29th March 2025, 6:41
Red Bull is the BULLY in the playground…
I’m been saying this for years…
This is just another episode…
They should be put aside by other teams, drivers, and fans!
And I ask again… How can this brand of ‘energy’ drinks is allowed to have TWO teams in Formula 1, when everybody cried & screamed to allow ONE new team to join the grid?