F1 star warned he faces being SACKED only one race into the 2025 season after disastrous Australian Grand Prix

F1 icon Martin Brundle believes one racing driver could already be on borrowed time at his current team after enduring a nightmare start to the 2025 season.

The Australian Grand Prix kickstarted what promises to be a fascinating season on Sunday, with Lando Norris just managing to hold off defending champion Max Verstappen for victory.

However, heavy rain played havoc with the race as six drivers crashed out. 

One star who failed to finish the race was Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate, Liam Lawson, in his first outing since replacing Sergio Perez.

The next race of the season is set to take place in Shanghai this weekend, and Brundle thinks the pressure is already on Lawson to perform or risk being moved on.

‘Liam Lawson of Red Bull, in particular, will be very happy that we head immediately into another race week so that he can hopefully park the misery and errors he endured in Melbourne and put them right,’ Brundle wrote in his Sky Sports column.

Red Bull star Liam Lawson (bottom right) has been warned he could be sacked soon

F1 icon Martin Brundle is concerned for Lawson’s future at Red Bull after he endured a disappointing Australian Grand Prix

Lawson was one of six drivers to crash out in Melbourne, while his team-mate Max Verstappen finished second

‘That team doesn’t do cuddles and reassuring words, and nor should they at this level.”

‘P45s are more their thing if you can’t keep Verstappen at least in view from time to time.’

Brundle’s warning to Lawson comes after Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted the New Zealander had struggled to get to grips with his new car in Melbourne.

‘It was a difficult weekend for him,’ Horner conceded. ‘We changed the car to put a bit more downforce on the car. It’s a very hard track to overtake at.’

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko also revealed the team would be keeping a close eye on Lawson over the coming weeks.

Marko said: ‘He wanted to show what he can do and unfortunately that went wrong.

‘We have to let him cool down a bit now and observe his development over the first three to five races.’