"Red Bull's biggest issue is making Lawson prove Perez right": Fans react to Max Verstappen's teammate's disastrous qualifying in the F1 Chinese GP

F1 fans were left shocked after Red Bull driver Max Verstappen's new teammate Liam Lawson qualified P20 for the main race at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix on Saturday. The Kiwi driver has had a difficult time in his first two races with the Austrian team and failed to get out of Q1 in the two qualifying and one Sprint qualifying sessions thus far.

The 23-year-old qualified P20 in the Sprint qualifying but was able to make some inroads in the Sprint and eventually finished P14. But he once again found himself in the doldrums of the rear of the grid as he finished last over one lap.

Liam Lawson qualified P20 and was over seven-tenths behind his Max Verstappen, who eventually qualified P4, for the main race.

F1 fans were in shock after Verstappen's teammate's qualifying at the Shanghai International Circuit on X, with one fan saying:

"Red Bull's biggest issue is making Lawson prove Perez right."

"Lawson in that second Red Bull seat is making Sergio Perez look like prima Senna."

"Dead last, again. Man, at least score P18 or something to save face."

"Lawson is a complete and utter failure. A lot of shite talking, this guy is not up to the job," said a fan.

"It makes you question the Perez situation quite a bit. Regardless, Yuki deserves so much more," claimed another.

"Lawson in last. Checo must be laughing like never before," pointed out another.

Max Verstappen's teammate assesses his P20 in the Chinese GP qualifying

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen's teammate Liam Lawson was "disappointed" with his P20 finish at the end of the Chinese GP qualifying session on Saturday.

Speaking with Sky Sports on the broadcast, the Kiwi reflected on his troubles with the RB21 and said:

"Yeah, it's just really disappointing. Honestly, I think the window is really small, that's known, but honestly, it's not an excuse. Like, I've got to get a handle over it. It was a messy session, and had we not gone with traffic and stuff like that, it might have been okay, but to be honest it's still not good enough to be having those issues. And that's where we get locked out.

"I think it's just time. Unfortunately, I don't really have time. It's, you know, it takes 100% confidence in what you're doing. And it's not that I don't feel confident, but the window is so small that right now, I just seem to miss it and I just need to get a handle off."

Liam Lawson also failed to exit the Q1 session at the season opener in Australia and ultimately lost the race after making a raft of changes to his car.