Racing Bulls Boss Sees 'Genius' in Liam Lawson

Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane believes there is "some genius in there" with Liam Lawson, following the New Zealander's significant recovery from a difficult start to the 2025 season. After struggling to adapt to his VCARB02 car following a mid-season switch from Red Bull, a breakthrough in Austria—driven by Lawson's own setup direction—unlocked his potential and led to a string of strong results. This late-season form not only showcased his raw talent but also solidified his place within the Red Bull program for 2026 alongside Arvid Lindblad.

Why it matters:

Lawson's journey is a classic F1 tale of resilience and technical feedback. His ability to bounce back from a demotion and a challenging car demonstrates the mental fortitude required to succeed at the highest level. For Red Bull, confirming his potential is crucial for maintaining a strong driver pipeline, especially after he was initially overlooked for a senior team seat in favor of Isack Hadjar.

The details:

• The initial struggle: Lawson was moved from the Red Bull senior team to Racing Bulls and found the VCARB02 challenging, a car with a more compliant but less peaky nature than the RB20 he had tested pre-season.
• The Austrian breakthrough: A key turning point came after Lawson and his race engineer spent extensive time in the simulator. They identified and implemented new front suspension and steering geometries that made him "much more comfortable with the car."
• Results speak for themselves: Post-Austria, Lawson consistently outperformed his teammate Isack Hadjar, finishing 6th in Austria, 8th in Belgium and Hungary, and 5th in Azerbaijan.
• Raw speed on display: Permane highlighted Lawson's exceptional talent in difficult conditions, specifically nailing his qualifying laps in low-grip, damp sessions at Las Vegas and Baku.

What's next:

With his 2026 seat secured, the challenge for Lawson and the team is consistency. The goal is to replicate the "click" from Austria across an entire season, transforming flashes of genius into a sustained challenge. Permane emphasized that both Lawson and the team must work to understand and replicate the conditions that lead to his exceptional performances.