Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve isn’t holding back about Liam Lawson‘s short-lived Red Bull stint. The outspoken Canadian believes the driver’s attitude played a major role in the team’s shocking decision to replace him.
Red Bull Racing has made a dramatic move after just two races, announcing that Yuki Tsunoda from Racing Bulls will take Lawson’s seat ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. This comes after Lawson had initially replaced Sergio Perez in the team.
“You have to bear in mind that he came into F1 very arrogant,” Villeneuve said bluntly.
“He came into F1 last year saying how amazing he would be and he had an attitude. When the results don’t come, it makes everybody react even stronger.”
## A Record-Breaking Failure?
The 1997 champion didn’t sugarcoat his assessment of Lawson’s performance.
“It’s actually the worst result ever in a Red Bull car, so he’s paying his own price there,” Villeneuve explained. “He set himself up in a way.”
Villeneuve highlighted the immense pressure that comes with driving for a top team like Red Bull.
“When you start with Red Bull you have to be on it right away, and that’s the price to pay for being put in the best team. You want to take that risk? Good. But then the opposite side is you’ll pay a dear price if it doesn’t work out.”
Even Villeneuve admitted he was surprised by how quickly the team pulled the trigger on the switch. Most expected any changes would come once F1 returned to Europe in a couple of weeks.
The timing does create a perfect opportunity for Tsunoda, though. The Japanese driver will now make his Red Bull debut at his home Grand Prix in Suzuka – a dream scenario for any driver.
