Liam Lawson has once again proven his worth as a reliable substitute for Red Bull Racing. With Isack Hadjar sidelined by a wrist injury, the New Zealander was called up to fill the vacant seat, and he has successfully fulfilled his role as a super sub in recent races of the 2026 season.
The transformation in Lawson's performance is stark compared to his early 2025 stint with the team. He has now competed in more races as a substitute than as a full-time Red Bull driver. In three outings, he has scored points twice, including a notable sixth place in Madrid—his best result of the season.
Praise came from Team Principal and CEO Laurent Mekies. "I think he's done a very good job," he told media in Madrid, including Motorsport Week. "We all know how difficult it is to jump to a different team, to a different car, and I think he has done that to the best of what could have been our expectations."
Mekies also highlighted the important points Lawson has scored. "He has taken some very important points with the P6. He did the same in Zandvoort, and in Monza he would have done something similar without the contact with Nico [Hulkenberg] and the front wing damage. I think he did a very good job. Very different pictures compared to the first races of 2025 when he was in the team. We are thankful and happy with that."
Furthermore, Mekies detailed the improvement areas Lawson has demonstrated, including a simplified approach to race weekends. "I think he has continued to grow as a driver, and he's very focused," he added. "He's certainly making, I don't know if he makes an effort or not, but he certainly managed to keep things simple in the way he tracks with the team, and in the way he tackles his own performance and the car performance, so he's focused on the essentials. He tries to get the basics right, and it's working for him, of course. With more time in the car, you can then get to another degree of finesse, maybe. But yeah, I think that approach has been very, very, very strong."
Lawson's positive results come at a time when his future is up in the air, as F2 championship leader Nikola Tsolov is in the frame to join the team in 2027. However, his impressive performances in his second Red Bull life could be his saviour by season's end.
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