Analysis
Lawson's resurgence at Red Bull under new leadership
Liam Lawson's strong Dutch Grand Prix performance suggests mental fortitude and Red Bull's altered management dynamics are key factors.
Liam Lawson delivered a strong performance at the Dutch Grand Prix, finishing seventh for Red Bull Racing. This result follows a difficult 2025 season where he was demoted after two races. Former Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner has attributed Lawson's improved form to increased mental toughness and changes within Red Bull's management structure.
A Transformed Performance
Red Bull drafted Liam Lawson into the team for the Dutch Grand Prix after Isack Hadjar sustained a wrist injury. Lawson qualified just one place and one-tenth of a second behind teammate Max Verstappen. He then battled Verstappen early in the race before Verstappen's retirement. Lawson secured seventh place, remaining on the lead lap. This marked a significant upturn from his brief and challenging stint with Red Bull in 2025.
Steiner's Assessment of Lawson
Guenther Steiner, speaking on the Red Flags podcast, suggested Lawson's 2025 struggles were partly due to the car's characteristics and a lack of track time. Steiner stated the 2025 car was difficult for any driver. He believes the experience strengthened Lawson mentally. Steiner also highlighted the absence of former Red Bull Young Driver Programme director Dr. Helmut Marko as a contributing factor. According to Steiner, Lawson no longer needs to feel constant pressure regarding performance expectations. This perceived shift in team dynamics, combined with a year of additional experience and potentially easier-to-drive 2026 ground effect cars, has allowed Lawson to perform with greater confidence. Steiner suggested Lawson adopted a focused approach, concentrating on his own performance rather than comparing himself to Verstappen.
Management Dynamics at Red Bull
Steiner's comments reopen discussions about the impact of Red Bull's leadership changes. He implied that a more stable environment under the new administration has positively influenced driver performance. Lawson's immediate future with Red Bull remains uncertain. The team is expected to make a decision soon regarding Hadjar's return for the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. The first session for the Italian Grand Prix is scheduled for Friday, September 4, at 13:30 Finnish time.
Championship Picture
After 12 rounds, the F1 drivers' championship is led by Andrea Kimi Antonelli with 219 points. Lewis Hamilton is second with 169 points, followed by George Russell on 160. Valtteri Bottas, the only Finnish driver in the field, currently sits 21st in the standings with 0 points. Lando Norris won the recent Dutch Grand Prix, with Antonelli finishing 11.536 seconds behind in second.
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Analysis, which means this is our reading of facts that are already established. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Eero Lahtinen.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- Motorsport Weekmotorsportweek.com
