Liam Lawson's Red Bull Stint Ends as He Returns to Racing Bulls in Baku
Liam Lawson’s brief, sharp burst in Red Bull colours is over. The New Zealander will roll back into the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls garage in Azerbaijan, his stint as Formula 1’s most reliable stand-in complete for now.
The 24-year-old was drafted into the senior team in August as a late-call replacement for Isack Hadjar, the French‑Algerian recovering from a wrist injury picked up over the summer break. It was a high‑pressure assignment: new car, new expectations, and no time to settle.
He coped. Then some.
Across three races, Lawson banked 14 points for Red Bull, a tidy haul that underlined how far he has come since last season’s bruising experience, when he was demoted after just two outings. This time, he looked like he belonged in the thick of it, not on borrowed time.
The run ends in Baku. Red Bull confirmed Hadjar’s return for this weekend’s street fight in the Azerbaijani capital, closing the door – for now – on Lawson’s latest spell in the senior seat.
In a statement, the team made a point of highlighting the Kiwi’s impact, thanking him for his “professionalism, dedication and hard work” and noting the “impressive performances” he delivered under “challenging circumstances”. The message was clear: this wasn’t a token cameo. He moved the needle.
Now it’s back to the junior outfit, but not back to square one.
Lawson re-joins Racing Bulls in the middle of a quietly impressive campaign, one that has been about rebuilding after a chaotic 2025. He sits ninth in the drivers’ championship, a regular presence at the front of the midfield and a consistent points finisher. His form before the Red Bull call-up was strong; his confidence, you sense, is stronger still.
“It feels great to be back in my car alongside the team as we head to Baku,” Lawson said, sounding more refreshed than resentful about the switch. “It has been a busy few weeks with the switch to Red Bull Racing, and I'm looking forward to getting back into the rhythm with the team and focusing on the weekend ahead.”
That rhythm has been catching the eye inside the Red Bull camp. Team principal Laurent Mekies did not hide his admiration after Lawson’s sixth-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix, a result that underpinned the Kiwi’s three‑race tally.
“I think he's done a very good job,” Mekies said. “We all know how difficult it is to jump to a different team, to a different car, and I think that he has done that to the best of what could have been our expectations.
“He has taken some very important points today with the P6. He did the same in Zandvoort and in Monza he would have done something similar without the contact with Nico [Hulkenberg] and the front wing damage.
“So, I think he did a very good job, again very different pictures compared to the first two races of 2025 when he was in the team so we are thankful and happy with that.”
That contrast matters. A year ago, Lawson’s early demotion painted him as expendable. This time, he leaves the senior garage with praise, points, and a far stronger case for a full-time future.
For now, though, the focus is brutal and immediate: concrete walls, slipstreams, and strategy calls in Baku. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend fires up tomorrow, with first practice under lights at 10.30pm (NZT), and the race set to go green at 11pm on Saturday.
Lawson returns to the team where he has built his season, armed with fresh experience from the sport’s sharpest end. The question now is simple: how long can Red Bull keep a driver like that waiting in the wings?
