Lawson: 'Never stopped' driving with confidence after Red Bull demotion

Lawson's 'Freedom' Claim After Red Bull Demotion

Why it matters: Liam Lawson insists he maintained confidence despite being demoted by Red Bull.

The big picture: Lawson was initially Sergio Perez's replacement but struggled alongside Max Verstappen. He returned to Racing Bulls and is still seeking his first points.

What's next: Lawson aims for a strong performance at the team's home race.

Liam Lawson has stated that he consistently drove with confidence and freedom this season, even after his demotion by Red Bull after just two races. Lawson was initially chosen to replace Sergio Perez but encountered immediate difficulties while racing alongside Max Verstappen.

Before the Japanese Grand Prix, he was moved back to Racing Bulls, with Yuki Tsunoda taking his place. Since then, Lawson has not made a significant impact with the sister team. Adapting to life back with the Faenza-based team has not been smooth for the young driver, who had to retire in Miami after contact with Jack Doohan.

Despite these setbacks, Lawson feels positive about his own performance and the team's car package.

"Yeah, pretty happy," Lawson told select media. "I think every weekend you get more comfortable and also coming to tracks that we’ve been to before helps."

"Miami was a tricky one. But to be honest, I felt pretty comfortable in the car. I think we had good speed in the car, but there are a lot of variables in Formula 1."

"Just getting a whole weekend together has been quite tough recently. We’ll try to do the best we can this week at a home race for the team."

Lawson has yet to score any points this season and has struggled to match teammate Isack Hadjar, who has consistently been close to Q3 and points finishes.

When asked if his confidence and freedom had returned, Lawson responded, "I think so. Honestly, I would say I never stopped doing that."

"It’s been a tricky year so far and there have been some really tough weekends, but personally I’ve always felt comfortable driving the car."

"I feel as much as I’m still learning for sure, that hasn’t really changed. For this weekend, I’ve been fortunate to test here in the past. It is a very intense track, quite hard, very old-school — which for us drivers, we’re quite excited by."