GP China starts at 8 a.m. with Piaastri on pole • What can Verstappen and the Ferraris?

Lawson is disappointing: ‘I have to get things under control’

Verstappen’s teammate, Liam Lawson, is pretty disappointing so far. In Australia the New Zealander did not reach the finish and during the sprint qualification and the qualification for the race in China, Lawson did not go beyond the 20th, and last, place.

“I have to get things under control,” Lawson said on Saturday after qualifying. “It’s just still not good enough. I have to get on top of it and I need time for that, but unfortunately I don’t really have the time.”

The question that emerges early in the season is therefore whether Red Bull has made the right choice by appointing Lawson for the Sergio Pérez shifted on the side. Team boss Christian Horner does not really want to answer that. He agreed that it had been a tough Saturday for the New Zealander.

“We will take a good look at this situation and try to give him the best car for the race,” said Horner on Saturday.

Why the driver makes the difference in Formula 1 this year and the car less

Eighteen thousandths. That was the difference between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton yesterday during the sprint qualification of the GP of China on a circuit of almost 5.5 kilometers. It says a lot about the minimum differences between Formula 1 cars this season and that ensures an exciting racing year.

“The difference is made this season by the people who work with it, such as the drivers,” says Ernest Knoors, former engineer at Ferrari.

We explain in the article below. And also why that will probably be completely different in the coming year.