Liam Lawson responds to eye-opening Verstappen comment over Red Bull return

Liam Lawson says that he “understands” Max Verstappen’s claim that his Red Bull stand-in appearances have highlighted a problem with the F1 2026 rules.

Verstappen has long been a critic of this year’s new regulations, with F1 2026 heralding the arrival of new cars and new power units.

Max Verstappen criticises F1 2026 cars after Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda performances

The cars have become lighter and smaller, while there is more emphasis on electrical energy, which will have a near-50/50 split with the internal combustion engine.

The MGU-K has been upgraded to deliver 350kW, which is nearly three times the previous output.

Super clipping, energy harvesting and yo-yo racing have emerged as the buzzwords of F1 2026.

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Verstappen, who has previously likened the new-look F1 to “Formula E on steroids” and “Mario Kart”, says Red Bull and Racing Bulls’ recent substitute appearances prove his point.

Lawson drove the RB22 for the first time at the Dutch Grand Prix and finished seventh, while Yuki Tsunoda scored a point for Racing Bulls at the Italian Grand Prix. That was only his second time driving an F1 2026 car.

In a recent interview with the BBC, Verstappen claimed that Lawson and Tsunoda’s performances showed that the 2026 cars are “numb to your driver inputs.”

Verstappen said: “In the history of the sport, normally the driver that is the most committed, the latest on the brakes, earlier on throttle, committing in the high speed, they get rewarded, because you just gain that time in the corner.

“But now you’re constantly thinking about, ‘In this corner I might have to hold in a bit. Go later on throttle. Or brake earlier. Or lift off. And then I have more top speed.’ Stuff like that.

“It’s so unnatural. It’s so not how it should be.

“No disrespect. And I hope no one picks up on this.

“But look at Yuki. He jumps in the [Racing Bulls] car. Never driven the car before. Immediately competitive.

“Liam jumps from the Racing Bulls to the Red Bull – immediately competitive.

“It’s because these cars are numb to your driver inputs.

“Of course, yes, you still have to do a good lap. And you still have to commit. The fastest drivers will always come out on top.

“But it’s really, really limited, like a chokehold or something. You’re held back.”

Despite his frustration with the new regulations, Verstappen recently confirmed that he would continue with Red Bull next season and had also extended his contract through to 2030.

“Hoping that it will be better in the future,” he said. “Accepting where we are at the moment.

“Still the love for the sport. Not at the moment the driving. But the love for the sport.

“I love competition, naturally. I just hope that in the coming years, towards 2030, it can only get better. And to start to make the best of it, because these are the rules for the next four or five years.”

Speaking to PlanetF1.com and other media outlets ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, Lawson admitted that he “can understand” Verstappen’s complaints.

Asked to respond to Verstappen’s comments, he said: “I don’t know.

“It’s something that the cars in general that they’re not simpler because they’re actually quite complicated in the way the energy is.

“But sometimes I can understand. I feel like there’s things that are maybe less in our control with the way the energy is.

“But I think at the same time it’s myself and Yuki that have jumped in these cars.

“We’re really the only ones that know what it’s like to try and get up to speed in the new car, so it’s definitely not a simple thing.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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