New Zealander Liam Lawson has faced a turbulent start to his first full Formula 1 season. He began the year with Red Bull, but after two difficult races, the team replaced him with Yuki Tsunoda, following a pair of difficult outings. Lawson has now set his eyes on proving his worth, focusing on strong performances at the F1 Singapore GP and beyond, as he fights to secure a spot on the 2026 grid.
With Max Verstappen secured at Red Bull until the end of 2028 and Isack Hadjar’s future reportedly guaranteed, Liam Lawson’s fate for 2026 remains uncertain, with both Racing Bulls seats still up in the air.
When asked about a possible timeline for clarity on his future, Lawson admitted he would prefer to know sooner rather than later. However, he acknowledged the reality that a decision may take time, leaving his next career step hanging in the balance.
“I’d love to know tomorrow, honestly. But obviously in this camp it’s very normal to be left on hold a little bit. And that’s how it is at the moment”
He added, “I know the only thing that has control over that is my performance in the car. So until I have that answer I think that’s just what I’m focused on.”
Still more opportunities this season to prove his capabilities
Now that Formula 1 has only 7 races left of the season, Lawson has already driven on all of the circuits still to come on the calendar. Having replaced Daniel Ricciardo after last year’s F1 Singapore GP, Lawson heads into this stage of the season with valuable familiarity. Calling it the part of the year he enjoys most, he is more focused than ever on using that experience to finish the season on a high.
“Yeah, exactly. I think the more races we go to, obviously some very exciting, unique, cool races coming up as well. For me as well now having done the full cycle of tracks, going to tracks that I’ve done before, is exciting. It’s the part I enjoy, I would say, most out of the season. So I would say I’m more focused on that than anything.”
Experience heading into familiar tracks
Lawson initially stepped in for Riccardo back in 2023, after the Australian injured his hand in a crash. Riccardo had taken avoiding action to miss Oscar Piastri’s stricken McLaren, but hit the tyre wall in the process, side-lining him for five races. Lawson seized the opportunity, gaining valuable experience behind the wheel.
The New Zealander credited the experience on track to be a benefit to get to speed at familiar circuits. However, he ultimately stated that at the end of the day, its not a huge deal-breaker, with it really only helping the process at the start of the weekend.
“I think we do so much simulator work and preparation that honestly it definitely helps, for sure, having done the track in the past. But at the same time, with the preparation we do, I don’t think it’s a deal-breaker, I just think it maybe helps the process at the start of the weekend. It maybe helps you focus on the car a little bit earlier in the weekend than on the driving. Maybe you gain a session, but other than that I think, regardless, by the time we get to qualifying, we should all be in a good window.”
Has Lawson ever felt truly secured?
Despite stepping into multiple roles as a replacement driver, Lawson has yet to secure a Formula 1 contract lasting longer than a single season. This year marks his first full campaign as a contracted F1 driver, even though he had movement this year from Red Bull to Racing Bulls after 2 races.
However, he knows that even with a multi-year contract, Formula 1 never guarantees job security if his performance drops. He placed added emphasis on delivering strong results for the remaining races, and mentioned that there were only a few drivers up the top that would feel entirely secured in their positions.
“No. Honestly, I think unless you’re on multi-year contracts, and even then I think any contracts at the end of the day can be made to be broken in a way, so at the end of the day the only time you’re secure is when you’re performing.“
He added, “And I don’t think there’s many drivers, apart from some of the top guys, that are going to feel completely secure in the sport.”
