Liam Lawson to work with new race engineer at Racing Bulls for 2026

Liam Lawson will have a new race engineer for the 2026 Formula 1 season, with Alexandre Iliopoulos taking over the role at Racing Bulls. The change comes after Lawson worked with Ernesto Desiderio following his mid-2025 team swap with Yuki Tsunoda, as the team reshuffles its engineering lineup for its new driver pairing of Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad.

Why it matters:

The relationship between a driver and their race engineer is one of the most critical partnerships in F1, directly impacting strategy, car setup, and in-race communication. A change, especially for a driver like Lawson who is establishing himself, can significantly influence performance and comfort within the team. For Racing Bulls, optimizing these pairings is key to extracting the most from their new driver lineup.

The details:

• New Partnership: Alexandre Iliopoulos will be Lawson's new race engineer. Iliopoulos is a veteran of the Faenza squad, having joined in 2016 under its Toro Rosso identity and working through its transitions to AlphaTauri and now Racing Bulls in roles focused on tire performance and car performance engineering.
• Engineering Background: Prior to F1, Iliopoulos worked for tire supplier Michelin and holds advanced degrees in aeronautics, including a Master's from Imperial College London.
• Teammate's Engineer: Rookie Arvid Lindblad will be paired with the highly experienced Pierre Hamelin. Hamelin's resume includes engineering Pierre Gasly, Nyck de Vries, Daniel Ricciardo, Liam Lawson himself during a prior stint, and Isack Hadjar. He also worked on Max Verstappen's car during the Dutchman's 2015 rookie season at Toro Rosso.
• Previous Setup: Lawson had been working with engineer Ernesto Desiderio after moving from Red Bull to Racing Bulls (then VCARB) in a swap with Yuki Tsunoda after the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix.

What's next:

The success of these new engineer-driver partnerships will be tested from the first winter test. For Lawson, building a strong, immediate rapport with Iliopoulos will be crucial as he aims to lead the team and solidify his F1 career. For Lindblad, guidance from a seasoned engineer like Hamelin could prove invaluable for navigating his rookie season. The engineering reshuffle signals Racing Bulls' intent to provide tailored support for its 2026 driver roster.