Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner shared his mixed emotions during the United States Grand Prix weekend. On the upside, he witnessed Max Verstappen win the Sprint Race and secure a podium finish ahead of his closest championship rival, Lando Norris. However, Red Bull struggled to match Ferrari's pace during the main race, and McLaren felt they could have had a driver on the podium instead of Verstappen if not for a controversial penalty Norris received late in the race.
Sergio Perez faced another challenging weekend, failing to score points in the Sprint Race and finishing last among the top four teams, aside from Lewis Hamilton, after crashing out early in the race. This situation has put additional scrutiny on Red Bull’s sister team, RB, as Perez’s future remains uncertain.
Yuki Tsunoda is reportedly a candidate to replace Perez, but it was Liam Lawson who made a significant impression at the United States Grand Prix, climbing from 19th to a top-ten finish, matching his best result from his previous stint with the team last season. Lawson finised 9th.
Christian Horner talking to Sky Sports praised Lawson's performance saying “It’s a sample of one, and I thought he jumped in and he looked like a veteran to be honest with you. I mean, he’s a great racer. I think he can be very happy with that drive today. I thought he drove a great Grand Prix, I mean starting 19th, finishing in the points with some great overtakes.”
Jenson Button noted Lawson's competitive nature, mentioning, “He upset Fernando Alonso so you know he’s a feisty character on track, don’t you?” To which Horner replied, “Yeah, when you’re upsetting Fernando on track you know that you’re doing something right! So, he’s a tough, hard racer.”
Lawson performance
Lawson approached the race without pressure due to his starting position. He recorded one of the fastest laps in Q1 but was mainly there to assist Tsunoda, who ultimately could not reach the top ten and was frustrated when Lawson undercut him during the race.
Martin Brundle observed a moment that highlighted Lawson's potential as a future Red Bull driver, adding to the conundrum facing Horner. Despite Perez surviving a vote of confidence during the summer break after struggling with performance issues, the clauses in his contract that allow for termination remain. If Lawson continues to impress, Red Bull could face decisions regarding Perez’s position before the winter break. Charles Leclerc won the United States Grand Prix 2024.
Drivers Standing 2024
1.Max Verstappen
2.Lando Norris
3.Charles Leclerc
4.Oscar Piastri
5.Carlos Sainz Jr.
6.Lewis Hamilton
7.George Russell
8.Sergio Perez
9.Fernando Alonso
10.Nico Hulkenberg
