Chandhok shares concerns about Lawson: 'I really hope I'm wrong'

'Hopefully it works out'

After it was announced the previous year that Sergio Perez will no longer be Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull Racing, the Austrians decided to promote Liam Lawson instead of Yuki Tsunoda from Visa Cash App RB (now Racing Bulls). Lawson himself is yet to complete an entire season in the competition, and therefore, has not driven a car at all at many circuits that come towards the beginning of the season.

"I’m a bit worried that he's in there too soon. You could run the risk of him being the next one to join the queue of drivers getting burned too early in their career. Whereas, if they kept him and Yuki at Racing Bulls for another year, had someone else there for another year or two, and then give Liam a chance when he's a bit more experienced… I really hope he proves me wrong," Chandhok explained on Sky Sports.

With Lawson, the team are now once again betting on someone from their junior programme. Previously, Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon sat alongside Verstappen, but neither could make a lasting impression and hence why Sergio Perez was signed in the first place.

Chandhok hopes however that the New Zealand will succeed, because he does relate coming from the 'other side of the world'. "He sacrificed his entire life to move from New Zealand. I remember talking about it when he was in F2, he didn't have money to buy a flight ticket to go back and see his family. He's really, really worked hard to get to where he is. So I hope it works out and I just hope he doesn't get burnt out too soon. That's my point," he explained.

This article was written in collaboration with Estéban den Toom

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