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‘That’ll teach me’… How Liam Lawson reacted when Ted Kravitz called him ‘the bad boy of Red Bull’

Posted on by Larry
‘That’ll teach me’… How Liam Lawson reacted when Ted Kravitz called him ‘the bad boy of Red Bull’

Liam Lawson has angered two of the most experienced drivers on the Formula 1 grid since returning to the United States. Early in his career he built up a ruthless reputation.

Lawson bumped into Sergio Perez at the Mexico City Grand Prix as he looks to achieve his Red Bull seat. He pinched Perez as he tried to pass on the inside, then kept his foot on the outside even after running onto the grass.

This led to contact that damaged the RB20’s sidepod and ruled out a points finish. Lawson had to apologize after giving Perez the middle finger as he passed him later in the race.

New Zealand's Liam Lawson and Visa Cash App RB talk to the media in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo...
Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images

He was also involved in an incident with fellow newcomer Franco Colapinto in the final phase. While the stewards ruled his collision with Perez a racing incident, Colapinto was given a 10-second penalty after damaging Lawson’s front wing.

A week earlier he upset two-time world champions in the United States Fernando Alonso. The Aston Martin star was dissatisfied with his defensive driving in the sprint.

Alonso confronted Lawson in the parc ferme afterwards and deliberately held him back during qualifying. But there is no sign of any lingering ill will between the two.

Liam Lawson got ‘stonefaced’ after Ted Kravitz gave him a new nickname

It was in this context that Sky Sports presented F1 Ted Kravitz called Lawson ‘Red Bull’s bad boy’ at the media day ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Lawson was unimpressed by the nickname.

Kravitz said in Ted’s Podbook that the 22-year-old didn’t engage and instead gave him a stern look. He regrets that he is downplaying a ‘serious situation’.

Lawson does not yet have a contract until 2025, as Red Bull decides where he will be placed. He hopes to team up with Max Verstappen, but may have to settle for one RB extension if he is not convincing in the next four rounds.

“The bad boy from Red Bull – I put that to him,” said Kravitz. “I got no response. He just looked at me with a stone. That’ll teach me to try and make a joke out of an obviously serious situation when you’re Liam Lawson.”

When Yuki Tsunoda wrote off Liam Lawson’s car in junior formulas

Lawson already appears to have a decisive lead over teammate Yuki Tsunoda in the battle to replace Perez. Tsunoda defeated eight-time race winner Daniel Ricciardo during the first 18 races, but that counted for little.

During a podcast appearance this week, Lawson said Tsunoda was “more mature.” In his fourth F1 season he has become less error-prone without being convincing Christian Hoorner to give him a promotion.

Some ‘hatred’ between Lawson and Tsunoda is inevitable given what is at stake. But they are used to fighting each other.

During the 2019 Macau Grand Prix Tsunoda wrote off Lawson’s car. Any crash between the two this year would likely provoke an angry response Helmut Marko.

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