Part 5/9:
The decision to promote Lawson over other candidates, particularly Yuki Tsunoda, was not made lightly. Both drivers demonstrated impressive abilities, with Tsunoda having more experience, yet Lawson's potent performance and significant upside—given his limited race history—tilted the balance in his favor. Horner articulated confidence in Lawson's aptitude to handle the intense scrutiny and competition of being Verstappen’s teammate, emphasizing the importance of focusing on his own performance rather than getting overwhelmed by the established benchmarks.