Liam Lawson has revealed that his recent three-race stint with Red Bull was as much a mental challenge as a physical one. The New Zealander had to prepare for two teams simultaneously: Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls, following Isack Hadjar's wrist injury sustained during training in the F1 summer break.
Hadjar has been sidelined since the Dutch Grand Prix and missed the subsequent double-header in Italy and Spain. Consequently, Lawson had to spend time in the simulator for both the RB22 and the VCARB 03. "Yeah, it's a lot of time in the factory and doing a lot of extra preparation," Lawson told media including RacingNews365 after the Madring round. "This week off won't be much of a week off."
The dual preparation demands rapid adaptation to different car characteristics. Lawson admitted that the more he drives the Red Bull, the more comfortable he becomes. However, returning to the Racing Bulls later will be a challenge. "Going back now will be quite tough... because it's completely different to drive," he explained. The uncertainty over which car he will drive until race weekend—possibly decided as late as Wednesday or Thursday for Baku—makes mental preparation even trickier.
Nevertheless, Lawson views the experience as overwhelmingly positive. In three races alongside Max Verstappen, he scored points in two. "Monza was tough, with the engine penalty and damage in the race really ruining it for us. But overall we've had good speed. This weekend was the first time I felt we could really fight in qualifying and at the front," he said.
This performance has silenced doubts that arose after his brief two-race stint with Red Bull last year before being swapped with Yuki Tsunoda. Now, Lawson has strengthened his case for a future with Racing Bulls—and in F1 generally. With Hadjar expected to return at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lawson's dual role may soon end. But until the final call is made, he must remain ready for both.
For Red Bull, this situation highlights the depth of their squad but also underscores the mental readiness required of a reserve driver. Lawson has proven he can handle the dual task with high professionalism, which could be valuable in future contract negotiations.
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