Asked if there was a risk of Lawson falling down a similar path despite showing plenty of promise, Horner said: « The danger is there’s a repeat of that, but I think that Liam is a different character.
« He’s a different personality to be able to deal with that pressure. I think he’s shown real resilience and strength of character with the opportunity that’s been provided to have to turn up and get on with it and deliver. »
In the past, some Red Bull drivers have struggled to handle the setup of the car being geared towards Verstappen. He is known to prefer a ‘pointy’ front end, allowing the car to rotate into corners more quickly than usual.
Horner believes Lawson’s similar driving style to Verstappen will help him to adapt and ultimately succeed where others have failed.
« He drives the car in a similar fashion to Max, » added the Red Bull team principal. « He doesn’t shy away from having a very positive front end in the car so I think in terms of driving characteristics, it will be easier for the cars to run more closely together. »
Horner went on to insist that he is not expecting Lawson to rival Verstappen straight away, knowing that it will take time for him to settle into his new surroundings.
« One of the things we’ll be looking to protect Liam from is expectation, » said Horner. « Of course, when Alex and Pierre were with the team, Max wasn’t a four-time world champion.
« He hadn’t won a world championship at that point. We have a very clear positioning in the team with where Max is at in his career and what we need from the second driver. »
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