News Summary
- Laurent Mekies says Liam Lawson’s latest Red Bull performances bear little resemblance to his difficult two-race spell in 2025.
- Lawson finished seventh at Zandvoort and sixth in Madrid, while contact compromised his Italian GP.
- Red Bull has not confirmed whether Lawson will remain in the car for Baku as Isack Hadjar continues his recovery.
Laurent Mekies believes Liam Lawson has presented a “very different picture” of his ability during his unexpected return to Red Bull, one year after the New Zealander’s first opportunity with the senior team ended after only two races.
Lawson was recalled from Racing Bulls after Isack Hadjar suffered a wrist injury during Formula 1’s summer break. Asked to adapt to the RB22 with limited preparation, he has since completed three consecutive weekends alongside Max Verstappen.
The 24-year-old finished seventh at the Dutch GP before taking 14th at Monza, where contact with Nico Hülkenberg damaged his front wing. Lawson then delivered his strongest result of the sequence in Madrid, finishing sixth and adding another 8 points to Red Bull’s total.
Speaking after the Spanish GP, Mekies praised Lawson for moving between two teams and substantially different cars without allowing the instability to undermine his performance.
“He’s done a very good job,” Mekies told media, including RacingNews365. “We all know how difficult it is to jump to a different team, to a different car, and I think he has done that to the best of our expectations.”
Lawson’s results at Zandvoort and Madrid have earned him 14 points. More significantly for Red Bull, they have changed the immediate perception of a driver whose previous opportunity with the team ended before he had time to establish himself.
“It’s a very different picture compared to the first two races of 2025 when he was in the team, so we are thankful and happy with that,” Mekies added.
Lawson’s second Red Bull chance has been different
Lawson’s first promotion to Red Bull came at the beginning of the 2025 season. He struggled during the opening rounds in Australia and China and was returned to Racing Bulls after only two race weekends, with Yuki Tsunoda taking his place alongside Verstappen.
The speed of that decision left Lawson with little opportunity to learn the car or develop a working rhythm with Red Bull’s engineers. His return in 2026 has taken place under similarly difficult circumstances, but he now has considerably more Formula 1 experience and a clearer understanding of what the senior team requires.
Lawson has also needed to prepare for two potential assignments simultaneously. Before Monza, he worked with both Red Bull and Racing Bulls because Hadjar’s fitness remained uncertain, requiring him to understand two cars with different balance, steering feedback and operating demands.
Despite the disruption, Mekies believes Lawson is now processing the challenge with greater control.
“He has continued to grow as a driver,” the Red Bull team principal said. “He’s very calm in the car, he’s very focused.”
“I don’t know if he’s making an effort or not, but he’s certainly managed to keep things simple in the way he tracks with the team and in the way he tackles his own performance and the car performance.”
“So he’s focused on the essentials, trying to get the basics right, and it’s working for him.”
Red Bull praise does not mean permanent seat change
Lawson’s performances have inevitably revived discussion about his future, but Red Bull has not indicated that Hadjar’s permanent position is under threat.
The immediate question is whether Hadjar will be medically cleared for the Azerbaijan GP. The Frenchman has been progressing in his recovery and is expected to undergo a detailed evaluation before Red Bull determines its Baku line-up.
If Hadjar remains unavailable, Lawson is the established replacement and would be expected to continue alongside Verstappen. Any further appearance would give him another opportunity to strengthen the contrast with his abbreviated 2025 spell.
“Of course, with more time in the car, you can then get to another degree of finesse, maybe,” Mekies said. “But up to this point, he’s been very, very strong.”
Lawson’s improvement also provides a counterpoint to Tsunoda’s account of the personal toll created by his own Red Bull struggles. Both drivers found the transition to the senior team difficult in 2025, but Lawson’s temporary return has allowed him to revisit that experience with greater preparation and maturity.
The Azerbaijan GP weekend begins on Thursday, September 24. Red Bull is expected to decide between Hadjar and Lawson after the French driver’s medical evaluation early next week. Follow the latest developments through GRANDE PRÊMIO’s Formula 1 coverage.
FAQ
When is the next F1 race?
The next Formula 1 race is the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, with the weekend running from Thursday, September 24 to Saturday, September 26. Unlike a conventional F1 weekend, the race takes place on Saturday.
Why is the 2026 Azerbaijan GP on Saturday?
The Azerbaijan GP takes place on Saturday, September 26, because Sunday, September 27 is Azerbaijan’s Remembrance Day. The entire weekend has moved forward: FP1 and FP2 are on Thursday, while FP3 and qualifying take place on Friday.
What time does the 2026 Azerbaijan GP start?
The Azerbaijan GP starts at 15:00 local time in Baku and 12:00 UK time on Saturday, September 26. Qualifying begins at 16:00 local time and 13:00 UK on Friday.
Why is Liam Lawson driving for Red Bull again?
Lawson was recalled from Racing Bulls after Isack Hadjar suffered a wrist injury during the summer break and was ruled out of recent races.
