Damon Hill has noticed a change in Liam Lawson that could earn him a 2026 Racing Bulls seat

Follow us on Google Discover

Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson is returning to three circuits he’s only raced at a total of four times in Formula 1 to try and secure his future on the grid.

In his previous visits to Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, Liam Lawson has finished 17th, 16th, 14th and 17th.

It’s not the sort of form that the New Zealander will want to reflect on when so much is at stake in the next few weeks.

Red Bull have yet to decide whether to retain Yuki Tsunoda, which is having a knock-on effect on Lawson, Isack Hadjar and F2 star Arvid Lindblad.

Racing Bulls are the only team yet to confirm a single driver for 2026, and with Hadjar expected to replace Tsunoda, they could have an all-new line-up if Tsunoda is demoted next season, rather than dropped.

However, Lawson’s recent form has been very impressive, outscoring Tsunoda by six points since the British Grand Prix.

Damon Hill has now provided his verdict on the 23-year-old and has noticed one change that should convince Racing Bulls to give him one more year on the grid.

READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls F1 driver Liam Lawson? Everything you need to know

Damon Hill says Liam Lawson has ‘manned up’ since rejoining Racing Bulls this season

Hill was speaking to Daniel Moxon on the Pit Lane Chronicle Substack, and reflecting on this season’s rookies, he said: “It’s been very impressive. I mean, there are some surprise ones, like Isack Hadjar, for example.

“Bortoleto, Colapinto… I mean, Colapinto’s a bit wild, but he’s fun to watch.

“So, yes, there’s some pretty impressive new entries in there.

“Liam Lawson as well, showing some signs of being able to cope. They are names that I think will be around for a long time.

“It looks like [Lawson has stepped up]. You have to have pretty thick skin, I think, to be able to survive in F1, so I think he’s manned up to the job, definitely.”

Hill previously called Lawson ‘undaunted’ when he was initially promoted to Red Bull, but it was clear that he found his short time with the team difficult.

However, the shift in his confidence as the season has progressed and the results he’s achieved highlight why he’s currently a better option to be retained than Tsunoda.

READ MORE: All to know about Racing Bulls from team principal to Red Bull affiliation

Liam Lawson’s recent form makes replacing him with Yuki Tsunoda at Racing Bulls very difficult

The pinnacle of Tsunoda’s Red Bull career thus far was finishing sixth at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

That should have been seen as a turning point in the Japanese driver’s time at Red Bull, if it weren’t for the fact that he followed Lawson over the line.

Laurent Mekies and Helmut Marko can’t decide what to do with Tsunoda, and the trouble for Lawson is that his chances of ever returning to Red Bull are minuscule.

So, neither driver has a long-term future within the team, and it will therefore come down to whether Red Bull want Lindblad in Formula 1 next year, and therefore who would be his best teammate.

Ted Kravitz thinks Lindblad has an increasing chance of being in F1 in 2026, so a potential combination of Lawson and Tsunoda seems unlikely.

Tsunoda is more experienced, but Lawson has more immediate involvement in the team right now.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix could play a pivotal role in Red Bull’s decision, and current form suggests that Lawson has a slender advantage right now.