Dropped by Red Bull's senior team after just two rounds in 2025, Liam Lawson has scored points in two of his three races since returning in the 2026 season. The New Zealander made the most of the opening created by Isack Hadjar's injury, finishing seventh at Zandvoort, home of the Dutch Grand Prix, and sixth in Madrid. An engine penalty, meanwhile, badly compromised his weekend at Monza.
Lawson himself is upbeat about his performances, insisting he could feel himself making progress behind the wheel every weekend. Nico Rosberg is far from convinced. "Red Bull need the next Max Verstappen or Sebastian Vettel. Anything less simply isn't good enough," the 2016 world champion argued, adding that Lawson has yet to reach the exacting standard the Austrian team demands of its drivers.
With the pressure mounting, Red Bull's management had still not made a final call ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Lawson is not alone in the running for the vacant 2027 seat either, with young drivers Arvid Lindblad and Nikola Tsolov also firmly in contention.
