Liam Lawson reveals 'mentally tricky' reality of Red Bull return

Liam Lawson has revealed the mental toll of juggling a three-round Red Bull spell with Racing Bulls standby duties. With Isack Hadjar's return unclear, Lawson has been preparing for two different cars.

Why it matters:

Lawson's versatility is being tested at a crucial stage of his career. Strong results in the Red Bull seat have rebuilt his stock, but uncertainty over which car he'll drive each weekend could slow that momentum.

The Details:

• Hadjar has missed the Dutch GP and the Italy/Spain double-header after a summer-break wrist injury.
• Lawson has been splitting simulator time between the RB22 and VCARB 03.
• "This week off won't be much of a week off," he said after the Madrid round.
• The decision for Baku may not come until Wednesday or Thursday: "That's quite tricky to mentally prepare for what car I drive."
• The cars are "completely different to drive," making a switch tough.

Between the lines:

The disruption hasn't hurt his form. Lawson has scored points in two of three races and felt competitive in qualifying for the first time in Madrid. "It's got better each weekend," he said.

What's next:

Hadjar could return in Azerbaijan, ending split prep. But Red Bull will delay the call as long as possible, so Lawson will be on double duty until Baku.