Lawson Delivers on Red Bull Promise With Strong Zandvoort Return

Eighteen months after his ill-fated two-race stint with Red Bull, Liam Lawson came full circle at Zandvoort by qualifying eighth for the Dutch Grand Prix, just a tenth of a second behind teammate Max Verstappen. Called up from Racing Bulls to replace the injured Hadjar, the New Zealander extracted everything from the RB22 to finally deliver the performance he always insisted was possible.

Why it matters:

Lawson's 2025 debut became a cautionary tale about rushed driver promotions, but his Zandvoort rebound challenges the narrative that he lacked the ability to thrive at Red Bull. With his long-term F1 future hanging in the balance, this weekend offers concrete proof that circumstance and preparation, not a shortage of confidence, dictated his previous struggles.

The details:

• Lawson's Q3 time of 1m11.733s placed him eighth, a world away from the 18th and 20th grid slots he managed in Melbourne and Shanghai at the start of 2025.
• The 24-year-old credited the 2026 regulations and the RB22's less knife-edge handling for making it easier to find the limit compared to the volatile RB21 he faced as a rookie.
• Despite sharing a power unit with the VCARB 03, Lawson described the Red Bull as "completely different," noting distinct steering feel, corner balance, and high-speed grip characteristics.
• He also highlighted his own evolution, explaining that 18 months of added F1 experience and better preparation replaced the rushed adaptation to Verstappen's car setups that defined his first stint.

What's next:

This remains a temporary opportunity with Hadjar expected to recover, yet Lawson has already done everything required to keep his name in contention for future top-tier seats. Maintaining this level of proximity to Verstappen through Sunday's race could shift the conversation from whether he belongs in F1 to where he deserves to sit in the long term.