Liam Lawson gives nuanced response to Verstappen's 'numb' car claim

Liam Lawson says he can understand Max Verstappen's view that the 2026 cars are 'numb' to driver inputs — but he doesn't fully agree. The Red Bull stand-in, filling in for the injured Isack Hadjar, insists the new machinery is anything but simple to master.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's comments have sparked debate about whether the latest-generation cars are too easy to drive, diluting driver impact. With Red Bull's reshuffle placing Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda in unfamiliar cockpits, their feedback offers a unique insight into the true difficulty of adapting — and could influence future driver decisions.

The details:

• Verstappen argued that energy management puts drivers "in a choke-hold," making cars "numb to driver inputs."
• Lawson concedes some elements are less controllable, but stresses he and Tsunoda are the only ones who have switched cars mid-season.
• "It's definitely not a simple thing," Lawson told media including RacingNews365. "There are things in my own Racing Bulls car that I've got used to that I can't just apply in a car like this."
• The Kiwi added that larger gaps between teams this year may make the cars look easier to drive than they really are.
• He also revealed he's been "trying to drive around" certain discomforts in the Red Bull cockpit that aren't obvious on paper.

What's next:

Lawson has scored a sixth, a seventh, and a 14th in three races, while Tsunoda picked up a point at Monza. With Hadjar still recovering, Lawson will keep building confidence in the Red Bull — every lap a statement for his future.