For years, Liam Lawson has viewed Max Verstappen as the benchmark. The New Zealander joined the Red Bull Junior program in 2019 and now reflects on his time as a reserve driver for the Austrian team. According to Lawson, there is still much to learn from the Dutchman, which is why he continues to measure himself against the reigning world champion.
At the beginning of 2025, Liam Lawson was Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull for two Grand Prix, but he had already been working with the reigning world champion for a longer period before his short stint behind the wheel of the RB21. “I only raced as his teammate for two races, but even from a distance, you can learn a tremendous amount from Verstappen,” Lawson candidly tells Automoto.it.
“All teams share basic data, such as GPS data. This allows you to compare yourself with other drivers.” And that’s exactly what Lawson does – with none other than the reigning world champion himself. “I’ve been comparing myself to Max (Verstappen) for a few years now. What he does is simply impressive. He is incredibly fast, extremely consistent, and fully in control of the car.”
2026
Currently, Lawson ranks fourteenth in the championship with thirty points, while his teammate Isack Hadjar is in ninth place with 39 points. Despite some strong performances, the New Zealander is having a challenging season. Moreover, Lawson does not yet have a contract for 2026. However, with six race weekends still to go, there are plenty of opportunities to make a name for himself. Lawson will have to pull out all the stops to convince the Red Bull family of his value for a potential seat in 2026.
