Lawson earns Mekies praise after strong Red Bull return

Liam Lawson delivered when it mattered at Zandvoort, and Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies took notice. Called up at the last minute after Isack Hadjar's wrist injury, Lawson qualified eighth and finished seventh in the Dutch Grand Prix.

Why it matters:

Lawson's previous senior-team appearance ended in a difficult two-race stint in 2025. This weekend offered a composed, points-scoring performance under awkward circumstances. With Hadjar expected back for Monza, Lawson has reminded Red Bull what he can offer.

The details:

• Called into the senior team after Hadjar was ruled out, Lawson had minimal running in the RB22.
• He finished 11th in Saturday's Sprint, then qualified eighth, just over a tenth behind Max Verstappen.
• In the race, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari were too strong. Lawson inherited seventh when Verstappen crashed out and finished a lap ahead of Nico Hulkenberg.
• Mekies praised his adaptability and noted Verstappen's absence made race pace hard to judge: "No judgment on the pace, but he took the points of seventh place and that's probably the best he could have done today."
• He also took a 10-second penalty for a yellow flag infringement that did not affect his result.

What's next:

Hadjar is expected to return once recovered, leaving Lawson's immediate future unclear. But a seventh-place finish, a qualifying lap within a tenth of Verstappen and a smooth adaptation to a different car have strengthened his case.