Lawson close to Verstappen on Red Bull return at Zandvoort
Liam Lawson returned to Red Bull for the Dutch Grand Prix weekend and qualified within a tenth of Max Verstappen. Reports said Lawson pointed to factors that made him more comfortable in the car than during his earlier stint with the team.
Lawson was recalled from Racing Bulls for the Zandvoort weekend after Verstappen’s regular team-mate, Isack Hadjar, was sidelined by a wrist injury. The Dutch Grand Prix marked Lawson’s return to Red Bull around 18 months after a difficult two-race spell with the team.
On his comeback, Lawson qualified one tenth of a second slower than Verstappen and said he was pleased with a good lap. Coverage of the weekend said data showed he nearly matched Verstappen, while Lawson also identified a key difference that helped him feel more comfortable in the Red Bull this time.
Several reports said Lawson’s adaptation to the car was much easier than in 2025. Motorsport.com described the performance as Lawson delivering on the promise he had long said he could show if given another chance.
In this story
Sources (5)
Summaries are synthesized by F1 Hub from the linked sources. Follow the links above to read the full reporting at each outlet.