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Just a few months ago, there was talk of Liam Lawson fully losing his Formula 1 drive with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls for 2025.
Arriving at the summer break, the Kiwi driver might be frustrated to be heading on holiday, having found some strong form recently. It has taken him some time post-Red Bull sacking, but he has recovered.
His replacement, Yuki Tsunoda, is having a miserable old time and lies 18th in the drivers’ championship, in a car which has won two races this season.
It means that Lawson is likely to go head-to-head with current teammate Isack Hadjar for the right to race at the senior team heading into the 2026 F1 regulations.
F1 fans think Hadjar will be Verstappen’s teammate, but he still has a long way to go to convince his bosses that he’s ready for the step up.
After a failed two-race stint at Red Bull, Lawson believes Christian Horner failed him in one area. He’s no longer their boss, meaning Laurent Mekies, who knows him well, could be on his side.
Liam Lawson may now have crucial form advantage over Isack Hadjar if Red Bull drop Yuki Tsunoda
Helmut Marko is pushing for a ‘sensational’ driver to replace Tsunoda and is another man in the Hadjar camp.
However, over the last few weeks, the tide at Racing Bulls appears to have turned a little bit. The Frenchman has faced struggles.
In the last five races, Lawson has retired twice and Hadjar once, which doesn’t seem like a good omen for the former.
However, Lawson has managed to pick up 14 points to Hadjar’s none over that period. The break has arrived at the right time for one, and a bad time for the other.
Having form on his side is a big advantage for Lawson and could force him back into the conversation for replacing Tsunoda in 2026, if he can continue to score strong points.
Why some Red Bull staff are now ‘missing’ Sergio Perez amid Yuki Tsunoda struggles
2025 has been a shocking year for those in Red Bull’s second seat. It has proven how miserable the driving experience is with the RB21.
If anything, it has helped save the reputation of ex-Red Bull driver Sergio Perez, who had a similar car in the points every weekend at the back end of last season.
Fans who didn’t appreciate his performances then have learned to very quickly after watching Lawson and Tsunoda.
Even Red Bull staff are ‘missing’ Perez, who might yet end up back on the grid again next season if he can convince Cadillac to hire him.
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