Liam Lawson earns Red Bull verdict after Dutch GP stand-in

Liam Lawson's emergency Red Bull call-up for the Dutch GP turned into a statement performance, earning praise from team boss Laurent Mekies.

Why it matters:

With Isack Hadjar sidelined by a broken wrist, Lawson stepped up from Racing Bulls and delivered exactly what Red Bull needed. His seventh-place finish — the best possible result for an RB22 that was only the fourth-fastest car all weekend — kept the team in the constructors' fight and strengthened his case for a future seat.

The details:

• Called up from Racing Bulls after Isack Hadjar broke his wrist; Yuki Tsunoda took his seat.
• Qualified eighth, just 0.115s behind Verstappen in seventh.
• Started and finished 11th in the Sprint, then improved when it mattered.
• After Verstappen's lap-one crash, Lawson was the sole Red Bull and took P7 — the maximum for the car's pace.
• He finished behind only the six McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari drivers, reinforcing his status as the best of the rest.
• Mekies: "Liam has done a good job stepping into the car... He was only one-tenth away from Max in qualifying, and took the points that were available to him pace-wise."

What's next:

Lawson now sits ninth in the standings, ahead of every non-top-four driver. With Hadjar expected back soon, he'll return to Racing Bulls — but this performance won't be forgotten when Red Bull plans its 2027 lineup.