Why Liam Lawson isn’t thinking about Red Bull return

A rejuvenated Liam Lawson is not pondering a Red Bull return for F1 2026 despite delivering a string of positive performances in recent races.

Lawson started the year racing for Red Bull but struggled for pace and was ultimately swapped for Yuki Tsunoda ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Liam Lawson ‘needs to do more’ before considering Red Bull return

In his last four grands prix, Lawson has finished in the points on three occasions, and never lower than eighth when he’s seen the chequered flag.

The run contrasts with his form earlier in the season, where his best results were 12th-place finishes in China and Saudi Arabia.

His solid recent run has contrasted teammate Isack Hadjar’s downturn, with the Racing Bulls duo separated by just two points in the Drivers’ Championship.

It has catapulted him back into contention for a Red Bull berth amid suggestions Tsunoda will move on at the end of the year.

Like Lawson earlier in the year, Tsunoda has also struggled alongside Max Verstappen at the senior team.

With links to Honda, which will switch to Aston Martin for F1 2026, and an eye on succession planning beyond Verstappen, it’s expected Red Bull will opt for either Hadjar or Lawson in place of Tsunoda.

“Honestly, in terms of my future, it’s been so busy this year that I’m not really thinking about it,” Lawson said when asked by PlanetF1.com about a potential Red Bull return.

“I’m focused on having some good races. Obviously, we’ve had some recently, but three of them isn’t enough over 12 races, or however many races it’s been. We need to do more of this, and then we’ll see.”

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Swapping Lawson for Tsunoda following the Chinese Grand Prix, the second round of the season, was a decision Christian Horner said was made in the Kiwi’s best interests.

Struggling for pace and, increasingly, confidence, the then-Red Bull team boss suggested he had a duty of care to the 24-year-old.

It’s a move that looks to have paid off as he’s become an increasingly close match for Hadjar as the season has worn on.

“It’s been a very tough year,” Lawson conceded. “I think it’s hard to string together a series of good results in F1, and recently it’s been good for us.

“But obviously we have another whole second half [of the season] to go, and we need to learn from what’s working right now and try and take that forward.”

While Lawson has catapulted himself back into the conversation for a potential Red Bull recall, Hadjar is favourite to step up.

The New Zealander, by contrast, looks likely to remain at Racing Bulls, with Arvid Lindblad in line to fill the Faenza squad’s second seat.

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