Bob McMurray: Motorsport expert on the speculation around Liam Lawson's future with Red Bull Racing

Motorsport expert Bob McMurray claims Liam Lawson's been treated unfairly by Red Bull as he faces demotion two races into the Formula One season. 

Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda is reportedly set to swap with Lawson for next weekend's Japanese Grand Prix. 

Lawson's didn't finish at Melbourne and came 12th in Shanghai - Tsunoda returned 12th and 16th place results at the same events. 

McMurray told Andrew Dickens he’s being made a scapegoat for the failings of the team themselves.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
People have texted about Liam Lawson saying why are you guys?
This is just because he's a Kiwi that you guys
are so obsessed about it. This is a massive global story.
You would not believe the number of people who are
commenting on this, whether it's social media or generally because
if one is a huge sport and it just so
happens that the kiwi is at the center of it.
So we've got reports that Liam Lawson will be cut
from Red Bull's top team. There's been no official announcement

(00:22):
I've checked so far. I'll check in a moment with Bob,
but the Dutch newspaper did Telegraph reported yesterday that Poorld
Liam's been dropped by Red Bull will be replaced by
Yuki Sonoda in Japan. His time in F one isn't
expected to be completely finished. He could return to the
Racing Bulls feeder team, which he drove for last season.
And that's a not too bad cart. So motorsport expert
Bob McMurray joins me.

Speaker 2 (00:43):
Now, Hello, Bob, good morning, Andrews.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Have you had any more intel on this? Is this
really happening? Because I don't think I've actually seen an
official confirmation. No.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Since I got up earlier this morning, I looked at
every single Red Bill outlet and there is nothing confirmed.
No stories say this is going to happen or not
going to happen at all. And apparently the only thing
I've seen is that discussions are ongoing. So I don't know,
but yeah, it doesn't look good with informed sources, especially

(01:12):
the Dutch, saying that it's going to happen. It's got
to believe that it may well do.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yes, this is a team that is associated with the
Dutch and they often do leaks through Dutch media. Of course,
the whole world's speculating. Is this piece of speculation for you?
And do you think that red Ball actually suffered a
Honda power play Because it's the Japanese Grand Prix. They
wanted a Japanese driver there, and of course they have
a lot of money, and so they said, well, you know,
let's try this out, and Red Bull's calling their bluff.

Speaker 2 (01:39):
Well, I think if Liam Lawson had been scoring points
and he'd been doing very well, this would never have
come up at all. But the mere fact they've been
thinking about it, perhaps read the Honda people backing Sonoda
have got wind of it and said, okay, if you
can put him in the car, will give you an
extra ten or fifteen million or whatever it is to
do that. So but the underlying problem, of course is

(01:59):
that them has not, in their eyes, performed well enough
to stay in the team, which is very short sighted.
He's being made escapegoat in my opinion, for the failings
of the team themselves and the way they organized their
young driver's program and the way they have not given
him any time in the seat. And it's a fairly

(02:21):
brutal decision from against him.

Speaker 1 (02:24):
Yperi has had ninety races, ninety, Ricciardo had what was
it eighteen or something. Everyone's had a greater chance. Gas
he had a greater chance, but Liam just too. And
there we go. But there we go, and that is
that is the caliber of the Rebel team at the moment.
Why doesn't Christian Horner fall on his sword because he's
obviously made two crappy cars.

Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yep, well you could say that a car, Actually, yes,
you did. The crappy car actually suits Max with Staban,
So it's not that crappy in Max with Stappin's hands.
It's just that it's a very very difficult car for
any other driver to drive. Liam cannot drive in the
same manner that makes for staffand does to make that

(03:04):
car work. And that's the issue at point the car is.
I wouldn't say designed around makes for Staffhan, but it
very closely is, because clearly he's the one that is
the points and everything else. So we're going to do
what he wants to do with the car. So Liam
sort of has to try and adapt, and unfortunately he
can't adapt to a car with a loose rear end.
Is the phrase that happens.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
Amazing, amazing. Okay, we'll wait to see if anything concrete
is going to happen from all of this. But here's
the thing, this is not the end of Liam in
any way, shape or form. He can still drive a
car very fast. Apparently Audi and Williams have been sniffing
around and wouldn't it be hilarious if he got into
a racing ballcar and beat Yuki.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
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