Liam Lawson has had an eventful 2025 season. The New Zealander started the year in Red Bull colors, only to be replaced by Yuki Tsunoda just two Grands Prix later. However, Lawson made enough of an impression throughout the rest of the season to retain his spot at Racing Bulls in 2026. He no longer contemplates a return to Red Bull: ‘Those were a few tough races.’
In 2025, Liam Lawson had the privilege of calling himself a Red Bull driver for two races, until he was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda during the GP Japan. The New Zealander was demoted to sister team Racing Bulls, where he scored five more World Championship points than Tsunoda in the RB21 for the rest of the season. However, it is his teammate Isack Hadjar who will be joining Max Verstappen at the Austrian racing stable in 2026, while Lawson remains at Racing Bulls.
The New Zealander hasn’t really considered a return to Red Bull. “To be honest, I haven’t really thought about it this year, especially since there were a few very tough races upon my return,” Lawson tells the media. “I think that in the first part of this year, I mainly focused on finding my groove and getting used to this car (the VCARB 02).”
Arvid Lindblad Joins the Team
In 2026, Liam Lawson will be joined by a new teammate: Arvid Lindblad. The rookie will be the only newcomer in the premier class next year. However, the New Zealander does not expect his experience to give him an advantage over Lindblad. “It’s going to be a new car for me as well,” counters the Racing Bulls driver. “It’s great to have a year of experience, and I think I’ve learned a lot this year, but the most important thing for me is to be as well-prepared as possible for next year. I expect the team will probably lean on me a bit, but at the same time, I’ve only had one season. And while you don’t learn a huge amount in one F1 season, I hope there will be many more years to come for learning.”
