Liam Lawson says he felt far more comfortable in the RB22 during his stand-in role for Isack Hadjar at the Dutch Grand Prix last weekend than he did during his brief Red Bull Racing spell in early 2025. However, he insists it's hard to compare the two cars directly.
The New Zealander was called up to replace Hadjar, who injured his wrist while training during the summer break. Lawson finished seventh at Zandvoort, his best result with Red Bull, and has now opened up about the differences between his two stints with the team.
A Different Experience in 2025
At the start of 2025, Lawson lasted just two grands prix before being replaced. He believes that period was too short to truly understand the car. "Honestly, with how last year was, with those two weekends, at two tracks I'd never done, I still don't think I have an opinion on what that car was to drive," he told Motorsport.com.
"I felt more comfortable in this one in a weekend, so it's very hard to compare," Lawson added.
Aerodynamic Philosophy Differences
When asked about the differences between the RB22 and the VCARB 03 he drives for Racing Bulls, Lawson pointed to the contrasting aerodynamic approaches. "The car is completely different aerodynamically," he explained. "Also, there are always things we try to adjust for driver comfort. When you switch cars for a weekend, you can't automatically change those things."
He added, "There are things in this car that aren't the same as mine in terms of driver comfort, and I've had to get my head around it. Without being too specific, that's probably the most challenging part."
Red Bull has yet to confirm when Hadjar will return, but Hadjar revealed that MotoGP champion Marc Marquez warned him against rushing back. This situation puts Lawson's role at Racing Bulls under the spotlight, with his Zandvoort performance potentially influencing future team decisions.
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