Liam Lawson 'Starts Where He Left Off' as Racing Bulls Welcome Back In-Form Kiwi

Liam Lawson was back in the VCARB 03 for the first time since his three-race Red Bull stand-in stint, and the New Zealander quickly showed why Racing Bulls were so eager to welcome him home. He went seventh-quickest in FP1 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix before dropping to 12th in FP2, but team principal Alan Permane is just happy to have him back.

Why it matters:

Lawson's temporary spell at Red Bull — where he scored 14 points and qualified within a tenth of Max Verstappen at Zandvoort — boosted his confidence and reputation. His return gives Racing Bulls a driver in red-hot form as they fight to hold fifth in the constructors' standings.

The details:

• Lawson has 45 points across 11 Racing Bulls starts this season, including a career-best fifth in Monaco.
• He deputised for Isack Hadjar, who fractured his wrist in a training incident, at the Dutch, Italian and Spanish Grands Prix.
• His results: P7 at Zandvoort, P6 in Madrid, and P14 at Monza after contact with Nico Hulkenberg and a grid penalty.
• Permane: "He was very much wanting to get back in his car... He's started where he left off, basically."

Permane also praised Lawson's overall growth since returning to the team ahead of last year's Japanese Grand Prix, after his difficult early-2025 Red Bull demotion. "He's much more focused. He's driving better. He's better on track, off track. In all areas he's better," Permane said. He also highlighted the healthy rivalry with teammate Arvid Lindblad: "They lift each other up."

What's next:

With Hadjar still recovering, Lawson will continue to lead Racing Bulls' charge in Baku. If his recent qualifying pace near Verstappen is anything to go by, the midfield battle just got a lot more interesting.