Liam Lawson had a very different experience upon returning to Red Bull Racing for the Dutch Grand Prix of Formula 1. After struggling during his first stint with the team, the New Zealand driver was able to closely keep pace with Max Verstappen and finished the race in seventh place at Zandvoort.
The difference drew attention because his first promotion to the main squad, at the start of 2025, lasted only two races before he was sent back to Racing Bulls. This time, stepping in for the injured Isack Hadjar, Lawson found a car that he deemed much more manageable, though still demanding to push to the limit.
According to Lawson, part of the previous difficulties was related to his lack of experience on different circuits and the car’s tricky behavior: “The main problem last year was that there were two tracks I had never been to. Moreover, I was trying to learn a car that was already very hard to drive,” he stated.
The driver also highlighted that, in 2025, he needed to quickly adapt to the characteristics of the car used by Verstappen. Pedals, steering, and other elements were different from his reference, while he had hoped to have more time to get used to it. In Zandvoort, the priority was to bring the car as close as possible to his usual setup.
The change in the single-seater’s characteristics became even more evident when Lawson compared the margin available to the driver: “Last year the car sat on a very tight limit, at least at the start, and if you weren’t at that limit, it cost you a lot of lap time,” he added.
For 2026, Lawson assesses that the scenario is more complex, with several factors influencing the construction of a fast lap: “This year there are many more factors involved,” the New Zealander said, adding that having more time with the car and with the current regulatory cycle helps with the adaptation. He also highlighted that using the same power unit contributes to this process.
