News Summary
- Liam Lawson says the Red Bull RB22 and Racing Bulls car feel substantially different, despite sharing a power-unit supplier.
- The New Zealander believes both cars have strengths and weaknesses that could complement one another.
- Lawson returns to Singapore, where he scored his first F1 points in 2023, after finishing seventh at Sepang.
Liam Lawson believes Red Bull and Racing Bulls have developed Formula 1 cars with significantly different characteristics in 2026, revealing that each possesses strengths the other lacks.
The New Zealander has driven both cars this season after temporarily replacing Isack Hadjar at Red Bull before returning to Racing Bulls. The experience gave him an unusual opportunity to compare the two machines directly.
Asked about the differences ahead of the Singapore GP, Lawson explained that the cars share relatively little beyond their power units.
“Other than the power unit, pretty much everything, honestly. It’s very different to drive,” he said.
Lawson acknowledged that returning to Racing Bulls involved another period of adjustment, even though he was already familiar with the team.
The cars differ not only in aerodynamic characteristics but also in how they respond to driver inputs and the individual preferences built into their controls.
“The car is different, but also the way you sort of, just the way the steering is, for example, is a bit more personal to me and my car,” Lawson explained.
The 24-year-old nevertheless believes both teams have developed competitive characteristics that could complement one another.
“There’s honestly strengths and weaknesses from both, to be honest. It’s quite interesting to drive both, and you could honestly argue that if you put them together, you’d have a pretty fast race car.”
His comments provide a direct comparison between the RB22, which Max Verstappen drove to victory at Sepang, and the Racing Bulls package that has helped Lawson establish himself among the leading midfield drivers.
Sepang start gave Lawson another strong result
Lawson finished seventh in Malaysia after gaining seven positions at the start, briefly finding himself fighting with Verstappen into Turn 1.
He attributed the unusually strong launch partly to avoiding wheelspin on the wet surface and Racing Bulls’ decision to use the appropriate tyres.
“I didn’t expect to be fighting Max in Turn 1,” Lawson admitted.
The result strengthened his position in the Drivers’ Championship and came while Racing Bulls continues assessing its 2027 line-up.
Lawson has already explained that he believes he has done almost everything possible to secure another F1 season, although the team has not yet confirmed its plans.
The Singapore GP begins on Friday with FP1 and sprint qualifying. GRANDE PRÊMIO follows all the latest Formula 1 news.
F1 today: FAQ
What time is Singapore GP sprint qualifying today?
Sprint qualifying starts at 20:30 Singapore time on Friday, October 9, equivalent to 13:30 BST in the UK, 08:30 ET in the United States and Canada, and 18:00 IST in India. The session determines the starting grid for Saturday’s sprint.
Who was fastest in Singapore GP FP1?
George Russell topped FP1 with a 1:32.274, driving Mercedes’ older W17 aerodynamic specification. Charles Leclerc finished second, 0.198s behind, followed by Lando Norris in third. Kimi Antonelli was seventh with the upgraded Mercedes, while Gabriel Bortoleto finished 16th.
Why is George Russell using the old Mercedes at the Singapore GP?
Mercedes is comparing its previous W17 specification with the aerodynamic upgrade introduced at Sepang. Russell is using the older package, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli retains the new version. Russell led FP1, but differences in tyre compounds and run programmes mean the result alone does not establish which specification is faster.
What did Liam Lawson say about the Red Bull and Racing Bulls cars?
Lawson said the two cars have very different characteristics and that combining their strengths could produce a particularly competitive Formula 1 car.
