Following another tough day in the office, Liam Lawson admits that he's feeling the pressure.

In the aftermath of Isack Hadjar openly crying after crashing out on his way to the grid last Sunday, Red Bull's Lord High Executioner, Helmut Marko described the youngster's reaction as "embarrassing".

However, considering the constant mauling certain drivers are getting every day on social media, and even some sections of the media, it's surprising that there aren't more drivers openly crying their eyes out in frustration.

Before a wheel had even turned, Jack Doohan effectively had the rug pulled from under him when Flavio Briatore signed Argentine hot-shot Franco Colapinto to Alpine, the Italian compounding the situation by refusing to say whether the Australian would have the seat for the season.

However, fans of any number of drivers have been busy on social media, calling for X, Y or Z to be fired in favour of A, B or C.

Other than the aforementioned Doohan, another driver constantly in the firing line is Liam Lawson, who from the outset has been hounded by fans of Sergio Perez, insisting that their guy should never been fired, and Yuki Tsunoda, who feel the Japanese was more deserving of the second Red Bull seat.

Of course, in both cases the drivers have hardly helped themselves, Lawson qualified 18th in Melbourne and subsequently crashed out, while, having finished 14th in this morning's Sprint, qualified 20th for tomorrow's race.

While it is widely appreciated that being teammate to Max Verstappen is a tough enough call as it is, the team is effectively built around the Dutchman, the fact is that the car is built to suit him, and basically only him. Added to which is the fact that, like it its predecessor it is not a particularly good car.

However, the new breed of fans have no time for that, they merely want Doohan dropped in favour of their particular favourite, and while, like most, Lawson insists he doesn't pay any attention, the fact is that it must play its part in his frustration.

Speaking following this morning's qualifying, the kiwi admitted that he's struggling and that time is against him.

"It's just really tough, honestly," he told Sky Sports. "I think the window's really small," he added.

"I mean that's known, but honestly, it's not an excuse," he continued. "I've got to get a handle of it.

"It was a messy session and had we have not dealt 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 the reason that we get knocked out.

"We should be fast enough on our first lap," he admitted. "It shouldn't be an issue, so I just need to get on top of it."

Asked what he needs in order to reverse his situation, he replied: "I think it's just time; unfortunately, I don't really have it.

"To drive a Formula 1 car 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," he said. "I just need to get a handle on it.

"So yeah, I don't know how else to put it really, it's just not good enough."

"It's been a tough day in the office for him today," agrees team boss Christian Horner. "We'll have a good look at it, and go through it, and obviously try and give him the best car we can for tomorrow."

Pushed on how the situation compares to that of Lawson's predecessor, Horner said: "As I say, we'll have a good look at it and we'll do what we can tomorrow."

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