Back Liam Lawson to become a world champion? Guenther Steiner reckons the Kiwi has the talent, but there’s a rather important piece of machinery involved.

Joining Simon and Lana on More FM, the Drive to Survive favourite shared his take on what Lawson needs to reach Formula One’s biggest prize.

“Has he got the talent to be world champion?” Steiner said. “I think in the right car he can be”.

The catch? Steiner believes Lawson needs to find his way beyond the Red Bull family.

While he thought Racing Bulls would retain Lawson for the following season, he wasn’t expecting a promotion back to Red Bull’s main team. That’s his assessment, rather than an announcement about Liam’s future.

For Steiner, it comes down to matching ability with opportunity: the right team, the right car and the right timing. He praised Lawson’s performances for Racing Bulls, pointing to his recovery into the points in Mexico as an example of what he can do.

And before anyone suggests a brilliant driver can simply overcome any car, Steiner offered this reality check: “If you get Max in the worst car, he will not win a race.”

There’s more straight-talking on the way when Steiner brings his live show, No Team Orders, to New Zealand in December. Alongside stories from his motorsport career, he’ll take questions from the audience.

Watch the full chat for Guenther’s take on Liam, Netflix fame and life inside F1.