F1 Bombshell: Ex-Team Owner Claims Max Verstappen Is Red Bull’s Real Problem, Not Liam Lawson
Formula 1’s 2025 season is off to a fiery start, and Red Bull, the grid’s reigning juggernaut, finds itself at the epicenter of a blazing controversy. While the Milton Keynes squad gears up for the Japanese Grand Prix on April 4-6, whispers in the paddock have erupted into a full-blown debate—and this time, it’s not just about track performance. Liam Lawson, the young New Zealander thrust into the spotlight as Max Verstappen’s teammate, has stumbled out of the gate, struggling to tame the temperamental RB21. But a shocking accusation from former F1 team owner Gian Carlo Minardi has flipped the narrative: the real issue at Red Bull isn’t Lawson—it’s Verstappen himself.
In a scathing interview on his official website, Minardi didn’t mince words. “The problem at Red Bull is quite different… they are once again racing with only one driver: Max Verstappen,” he declared. For the Italian veteran, Lawson’s woes—failing to escape Q1 in Australia and China, including a dismal last-place finish in Shanghai’s sprint and main race—aren’t a reflection of his talent. Instead, Minardi points the finger at the RB21, a car he claims is “built entirely around Verstappen” and his unique, aggressive driving style. “It’s probably a very difficult car to drive and handle,” he argued, suggesting that this custom-made design dooms any teammate to flounder in Verstappen’s shadow.
The stats paint a stark picture. While Lawson languishes pointless after two races, Verstappen, despite grumbling about the RB21’s sluggishness, muscled his way to fourth in China. This gaping performance gap only fuels Minardi’s theory: Red Bull’s engineering philosophy caters exclusively to their four-time world champion, leaving Lawson—and predecessors like Sergio Perez—high and dry. “It’s no coincidence,” Minardi insisted, contrasting Lawson’s struggles with the sharper pace of Racing Bulls drivers, Red Bull’s junior team. “The problem is in Red Bull and the way the car is developed.”
The accusation lands like a grenade in an already tense Red Bull garage. Verstappen’s influence over the team’s direction is no secret—his preference for a pointy, oversteer-heavy setup has long shaped their cars. But Minardi’s claim that this approach sabotages his teammates reignites a simmering debate: Is Verstappen’s dominance a double-edged sword? Even the Dutchman has admitted the RB21 is “too slow,” yet his ability to wring results from it highlights a mastery that Lawson, just two races into his Red Bull stint, can’t yet match. Minardi’s parting shot—“I find it hard to imagine any other explanation”—casts a shadow over the team’s strategy as they chase both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles in 2025.
As Red Bull swaps Lawson for Yuki Tsunoda ahead of Suzuka, the paddock buzzes with questions. Can anyone thrive beside Verstappen in a car tailored to his genius? Or is Minardi right—that the Dutchman’s brilliance is Red Bull’s blessing and curse? With McLaren leading the Constructors’ standings and pressure mounting, this explosive revelation could force Red Bull to rethink their approach—or risk racing with one hand tied behind their back. What’s your take—genius or liability? The F1 world waits.
