Liam Lawson will be concerned by what Red Bull insiders keep saying about Arvid Lindblad

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Liam Lawson can finally look forward to what’s expected to be the most settled pre-season of his Formula 1 career thus far in 2026.

Racing Bulls confirmed after the Qatar Grand Prix that they would be retaining Liam Lawson for next season.

Lawson’s career path has been unique in F1’s history, relying on a pair of cameos at the end of the 2023 and 2024 seasons before an unexpected promotion to Red Bull last year ended after just two races.

Isack Hadjar starred next to Lawson, but Yuki Tsunoda’s promotion in Lawson’s place ended up costing him his place on the grid for 2026.

The other beneficiary in all of this was Arvid Lindblad, who will be the only rookie in Formula 1 next year.

Lindblad has already said he’s not thinking about beating Lawson, but the teenager wouldn’t have reached F1 if that was truly his attitude to beating his teammate.

Former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos has now shared what he keeps hearing from the team’s staff about Lindblad’s potential.

It’s something Lawson will have to take seriously if he wants to extend his Formula 1 career beyond next season.

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

Red Bull insiders believe Arvid Lindblad is the ‘next big thing’ after 2026 Racing Bulls promotion

Doornbos was asked who he’s excited for in 2026 on The Pit Talk Podcast and said: “Isack to be a teammate of Max, to see how he goes on to see how he copes with it.

“To see the comeback of Lewis, if there is a comeback for Lewis.

“We see a progression of Kimi Antonelli in his second year. If we see a progression for drivers like Oscar Piastri, I also expect Kimi to step up.

“And then the new junior kids, Arvid Lindblad at Racing Bulls. The next big thing, if you ask a few of the insiders.

“I start reminding these guys that actually drove as well because they are this different generation!

“Seventeen-year-olds, 18-year-olds, I think, when I was 21, I made my debut. I was young, but now it’s like 17, 18, it’s crazy.”

READ MORE: Who is 2026 Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad? Everything you need to know

Liam Lawson must take Arvid Lindblad threat seriously to preserve his Formula 1 career

Lawson is at an interesting point in his F1 career, and surviving the Red Bull merry-go-round going into the 2026 campaign might offer him a lifeline that extends his stay in the sport for several more years.

It’s unlikely that Lawson will ever be promoted again, but there are several examples already on the grid of drivers who have been turned away by Red Bull who have gone on to sign for other Formula 1 teams.

The driver market is going to be very active in 2026, and Lawson will likely make himself an option for teams elsewhere on the grid if they’re looking to improve their line-ups.

For the New Zealander to be considered by any rival teams, he needs to establish himself as Racing Bulls’ number one driver alongside Lindblad.

If the rookie gets the better of Lawson, then that leaves him in a very vulnerable position, especially with several Red Bull juniors competing in F2 next year.

The likes of Nikola Tsolov, Oliver Goethe, and maybe even Ayumu Iwasa will be trying to put themselves in a position to impress whoever replaces Helmut Marko to step up into Lawson’s seat if he doesn’t continue to improve.