Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson respects the lethargic approach that his teammate Max Verstappen has criticized.

Lawson has been part of the Red Bull family for six years and in that time has seen the reigning champion rise to the top of F1.

The Dutchman has won three recent world titles and in that time has shown immense determination and ruthlessness.

His driving style could be very tough, which often angered fans, drivers and opposing teams – but that didn’t bother him.

When asked about the Dutchman’s mentality, Lawson said: “I think Max is quite clear that he’s not too concerned about what people think.

“I think it would be a pretty cool position to be in so many wins that you get hated for it.”

“That’s something he’s not worried about, I mean he has a big fan base outside of people who don’t like him that much anyway so he has nothing to worry about.”

Verstappen is a role model for the Kiwi, who has spent six years learning from the best in F1.

Lawson has a clear goal of becoming a valuable rider in the paddock and expressed admiration for what his team-mate has achieved.

And he wanted to highlight an unseen side of the Dutchman.

He added: “It was actually when I got into the car last year. He was there and the way the driver room works in Red Bull is in a power station and it’s all in the same area.

“Max was right next to my room and before the race in Zandvoort, I was obviously quite nervous about going in. He just came into my room, was quite open and said to remember to enjoy the race and that it was a great achievement.

“It’s things like that and nothing to do with driving. It’s always more of a mental thing.

“Obviously he’s a very mentally strong rider – probably one of the strongest, if not the strongest. He’s not really flustered about anything. He He’s an easy person to talk to when I get into a high-pressure situation.”

Lawson will need to adopt a similar style if he wants to win a seat in 2025.