Lawson admits Red Bull stint left him ‘vulnerable’

Liam Lawson has admitted his three-race Red Bull stand-in left him feeling “vulnerable,” with the unfamiliar car making a mid-season audition even tougher. The New Zealander is back at Racing Bulls for this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix after deputising for the injured Isack Hadjar at Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid.

Why it matters:

Lawson's cameo carried extra weight because Red Bull's 2027 driver picture is being settled now. Hadjar has already been confirmed alongside Max Verstappen for next year, leaving Racing Bulls as the unresolved piece. Lawson's own seat is not yet formally secured, and his recent performances will play a part in what happens next.

The Details:

• Lawson scored 14 points across the three races, with seventh at Zandvoort and sixth in Madrid either side of a difficult Monza weekend.
• He admitted the switch into an unfamiliar car made him more exposed. “It's a car that's quite difficult to drive, and I'm not used to it,” he said in Baku.
• Despite that, he was satisfied with how he handled the opportunity. “They were good. And now I'm excited to be back,” he said.

What's next:

Lawson believes he is in a stronger position than 12 months ago, sitting ninth in the championship on 59 points. He expects a decision on his 2027 future within “the next few races,” but is not dwelling on it. “I'm just trying to keep the string of point runs going.” Arvid Lindblad is also unconfirmed, while F2 contender Nikola Tsolov has been linked with a possible step up. Lawson's immediate priority is helping Racing Bulls in its fight for fifth in the constructors' championship, with first practice in Baku starting at 6pm AEST Thursday.