Liam Lawson admitted he faces a distinct challenge as he returns to represent Red Bull at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, but emphasized the chance to showcase his abilities once again with the Milton Keynes squad. The New Zealander was drafted in to replace Isack Hadjar, who suffered a wrist injury during the summer shutdown and will miss the action in Zandvoort.
Lawson received confirmation of the change of plans earlier in the week while returning from his summer break. The driver explained that he was still on the plane when he received the call informing him he would be taking over the Frenchman’s seat.
“I had literally just landed. I hadn’t even stepped off the plane yet. I was coming back from a break and arriving in the UK for what I obviously thought would be preparation for Racing Bulls. Then Alan [Permane, Racing Bulls racing director] called me and basically told me what was happening. From there, my week changed very quickly,” Lawson recalled.
Since then, Lawson accelerated his preparations to step into the Red Bull cockpit. He spent a full day in the simulator and completed the necessary seat fittings and procedural checks before hitting the track in Zandvoort.
“I’m coming in knowing I’ll be competing this weekend in a unique situation, trying to maximize just a single weekend. It’s very different from being in your own car, in your own team. At the same time, I’ve competed in many F1 races since then and learned a massive amount of things. So I’d like to try and carry as much of that learning as possible into this weekend,” he analyzed.
“It’s certainly going to be interesting. It’s obviously a tough track, and the weather is going to be very interesting as well. Right now, for me, it’s just about trying to get something out of this weekend and maximizing the opportunity, for sure. It’s a huge opportunity, obviously, but at the same time, I have my own championship that I’m also focused on. So we’ll see,” he concluded.
Formula 1 returns this weekend, from August 21 to 23, for the Dutch Grand Prix — the 12th round of the 2026 season. GRANDE PRÊMIO covers all the track action live from Zandvoort with reporter Leonid Kliuev. Keep up with every development on our news page.
Session schedule: Dutch Grand Prix 2026
| Session | Local time (CEST) | UTC |
| Free Practice 1 | Friday, August 21 – 12:30 | 10:30 |
| Free Practice 2 | Friday, August 21 – 16:00 | 14:00 |
| Free Practice 3 | Saturday, August 22 – 11:30 | 09:30 |
| Qualifying | Saturday, August 22 – 15:00 | 13:00 |
| Race | Sunday, August 23 – 15:00 | 13:00 |
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Why is Liam Lawson replacing Isack Hadjar at Red Bull for the Dutch Grand Prix?
Isack Hadjar suffered a wrist injury during a workout during the summer shutdown, forcing Red Bull to call up Liam Lawson to step into the RB22 alongside Max Verstappen for the Zandvoort event.
2. Who is driving for Racing Bulls while Lawson is at Red Bull?
With Liam Lawson moved up to Red Bull, reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda was called in to take over the vacant seat at Racing Bulls for the Dutch Grand Prix.
3. How did Liam Lawson prepare for his sudden Red Bull call-up?
Upon returning to the UK, Lawson spent an entire day in the simulator and completed seat fittings to adapt to the car’s setup and operational procedures ahead of the weekend.
