Why the “grateful” Liam Lawson expects a “tough” return at Red Bull

– The first day back at work after summer vacation is rarely pleasant. However, for Liam Lawson, the return this year turned into an adrenaline rush: When the New Zealander landed in the UK on Monday, he was still firmly expecting the usual simulator routine at Racing Bulls to prepare for Zandvoort.

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But hardly had Lawson switched on his phone when he received a call from team principal Alan Permane – with an abrupt change of plans: Isack Hadjar had suffered a wrist injury, and Lawson was to step in for Red Bull. Teammate Arvid Lindblad was informed the following day, while Yuki Tsunoda was taken directly from the beach to take Lawson’s place at Racing Bulls.

“So my week changed pretty quickly,” Lawson told the media in Zandvoort, including Motorsport.com, a sister platform of Motorsport-Total.com in the Motorsport Network. That this cockpit shuffle takes place right on the Dutch North Sea coast carries a remarkable irony of fate.

After all, it was right here on the dune circuit in Zandvoort where Lawson made his Formula 1 debut out of nowhere in the 2023 season, after Daniel Ricciardo broke his hand in free practice. Lawson seized his chance, impressed across the board, and secured the full-time seat alongside Tsunoda for 2024.

The provisional highlight came at the end of 2024 with the promotion to successor of Sergio Perez at Red Bull. But the dream quickly turned into a nightmare: Lawson struggled with the tricky RB21 and was mercilessly demoted after only two races – ironically in favor of Tsunoda.

What has changed at Red Bull since Lawson’s exit

At that time, the exhausting power struggles behind the scenes at Red Bull became public. Since then, the working atmosphere in the team has noticeably calmed down, not least thanks to team principal Laurent Mekies. Lawson spent the past 18 months at Racing Bulls and was able to establish himself there as a solid racing driver.

Now, however, a challenging task awaits at Red Bull Racing: The RB22 is by no means considered the best car in the field, the tricky sprint format takes valuable practice time away from the drivers before qualifying, and to top it all off, the debut in the new car threatens to take place under soaking wet conditions.

“Honestly, everything is quite different [at Red Bull],” says Lawson. “For me, I know that I’m coming in for this weekend in a unique situation to try to maximize a weekend. It’s quite different than being in your own car, in your own team.”

“At the same time, since then [his demotion at Red Bull] I’ve also raced a lot of races in Formula 1, so I’ve learned an extreme amount. And I want to try to take as much of that as possible into this weekend. But it will definitely be interesting. Obviously, it’s a tough track, the weather will also be very interesting – so, yeah, we’ll see.”

Lindblad disappointed: Subtle jabs in the press conference

That Lawson enjoyed absolute priority in the driver selection is undisputed. Although the New Zealander had no choice, the wheels were already turning at full speed at Red Bull. Lindblad, on the other hand, was only presented with accomplished facts afterwards – and that noticeably upset the Brit.

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The hurdle would have been even higher for him, as neither Formula 3 nor Formula 2 raced in Zandvoort during his time there. But at the official FIA press conference on Thursday, Lindblad’s subdued mood was unmistakable. When asked about possible talks regarding the second Red Bull cockpit, the Brit dismissed the question firmly.

“I don’t know. I was told the news on Tuesday, so I don’t know,” said the Brit. When another journalist – perhaps thoughtlessly – brought up the topic again, Lindblad became a bit more talkative.

“To be honest, this is my first time here in Zandvoort,” he said. “You know, it’s a sprint weekend. I’m only halfway through my rookie year, so I think it was, let’s say, a more logical decision to go with Liam. It would have been a bit more of a risk with me.”

“As a driver, of course, I would have liked it. I would have liked the opportunity,” Lindblad admits. “But at the same time, I fully understand why they did what they did. And I’m now very focused on my own weekend and trying to do my best.”

Risk minimization: Why Red Bull is fully backing Lawson

The decision for Lawson was ultimately a matter of risk minimization. Tsunoda, who had not yet completed a single meter in the 2026 car, was never a serious option for Hadjar’s cockpit. Lawson, on the other hand, has gained internal respect – especially because of the pace with which he adapted to the often challenging driving characteristics of the new engine generation.

While others, including not least Max Verstappen, complained incessantly about the new technology, Lawson threw himself into making the best of it. This fact, as well as his resilience in rebuilding his career after last season’s setback, made him the logical choice.

He is fully aware of the difficulty of his task. “It’s a great opportunity,” he knows. “I’m obviously very grateful to be chosen for something like this. But for us as drivers, we know it’s definitely a tough thing to come in and try to adapt in one weekend. It will definitely be a challenge.”

“To be fair, I’ve already had some pretty tough weekends in Formula 1. Literally three years ago it was Zandvoort when Daniel obviously had his injury and I stepped in. So that must have been the absolute hardest weekend ever, and I would hope this one doesn’t get harder than that. But it will definitely be tricky.”

“Obviously, I’m grateful to have had these experiences in the past as well,” says Lawson, who looks forward to his renewed stint at Red Bull with confidence: “I think [the experiences] help in a way to prepare you for something like this.”

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