Sergio Perez<\/a> for the 2025 campaign was met with cautious optimism.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThough he lacked the experience of his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, team boss Christian Horner was convinced Lawson offered more long-term potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That potential failed to materialize early in the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawson suffered back-to-back Q1 eliminations, including qualifying last twice in Shanghai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The performance gap next to Max Verstappen was glaring, and Red Bull acted swiftly by reversing the driver swap, reinstating Tsunoda alongside Verstappen and sending Lawson back to Racing Bulls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Return to Racing Bulls Offers Reprieve<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The move back to Racing Bulls was an opportunity for Lawson to regroup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Red Bull\u2019s second team offered a more forgiving environment and a car that was reportedly easier to handle than the RB21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But expectations remained high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With his contract ending after 2025, Lawson needed to prove himself once again to remain on the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet, even in a less intense setting, the competition didn\u2019t ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His rookie teammate Isack Hadjar quickly found form, outperforming Lawson in qualifying and race finishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hadjar\u2019s Form Highlights Lawson\u2019s Struggles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Statistically, Hadjar has been the more consistent performer throughout 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He holds 21 points to Lawson\u2019s 12, and has scored in four Grands Prix compared to Lawson\u2019s two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hadjar has also made regular Q3 appearances and secured strong results\u2014including a best finish of P6, a mark Lawson matched only recently at Silverstone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite this, Racing Bulls leadership remains supportive of Lawson\u2019s efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Team principal Laurent Mekies, now also Red Bull CEO, praised the Kiwi\u2019s behind-the-scenes work, noting his determination and steady improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawson\u2019s recent performances at Monaco and Silverstone indicate a potential turning point in form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2026 Seat Likely Secured<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
According to a report from The New Zealand Herald<\/em>, Lawson is now \u201cincreasingly likely\u201d to stay with Racing Bulls for the 2026 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCiting unnamed sources, the report claims Red Bull sees Lawson as the ideal \u201csenior driver\u201d at the Faenza-based outfit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In reality, Lawson already holds that position in 2025 due to his previous F1 stints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Red Bull is reportedly keen to retain one experienced driver at Racing Bulls as F1 prepares for sweeping regulation changes in 2026, including new engines and chassis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawson\u2019s familiarity with the team, developed across three different stints, makes him a valuable asset heading into that transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Red Bull\u2019s Wider Driver Puzzle<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
While Lawson\u2019s future may be settled, Red Bull still faces significant uncertainty over the rest of its F1 roster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both Tsunoda and Hadjar are out of contract after 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tsunoda, based on current expectations, appears unlikely to remain in F1 next year, with sources indicating his chances are \u201calmost 0%.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This opens a spot at Red Bull Racing that Hadjar is now the leading candidate to fill, following strong endorsements from advisor Helmut Marko.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That scenario would leave Lawson at Racing Bulls in 2026, taking on a mentorship role for the next wave of Red Bull talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One name already being mentioned is Arvid Lindblad, currently in his rookie Formula 2 campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The teenager is reportedly being groomed for an F1 debut, with Racing Bulls seen as the natural entry point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Pivotal Opportunity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
For Lawson, 2026 represents a second chance to solidify his standing in F1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if his Red Bull Racing hopes are on pause, a strong season with Racing Bulls under the new regulations could reignite his chances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a rookie likely by his side, Lawson will not only have to perform on track but also help guide team development during a period of major technical change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How he embraces this role may well define his long-term F1 trajectory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Liam Lawson\u2019s Formula 1 career took a dramatic turn in 2025, with his future in the sport appearing far more secure now than it did at the start of the season. Initially handed a coveted spot at Red Bull Racing for 2025, the 23-year-old New Zealander struggled to establish himself, leading to a mid-season demotion. However, signs now point towards Lawson remaining in F1 next season\u2014albeit with Racing Bulls, rather than the senior team. A Risky Promotion That Didn\u2019t Pay Off Red Bull\u2019s decision to promote Lawson to replace Sergio Perez for the 2025 campaign was met with cautious optimism.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":31485,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,21,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-driver-market","category-featured","category-latest-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
Liam Lawson\u2019s 2026 F1 Future - Will He Replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Liam Lawson is now \u201cincreasingly likely\u201d to stay with Racing Bulls for the 2026 Formula 1 season.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Liam Lawson\u2019s 2026 F1 Future - Will He Replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Liam Lawson is now \u201cincreasingly likely\u201d to stay with Racing Bulls for the 2026 Formula 1 season.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Formula1News.co.uk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-15T09:15:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-15T09:15:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Liam-Lawson-at-2023-Singapore-Grand-Prix.v1.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1207\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"804\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Chris Wilson\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Chris Wilson\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Chris Wilson\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/9da8c3e1b814543c4b406f7b39fba6da\"},\"headline\":\"Liam Lawson\u2019s 2026 F1 Future – Will He Replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull?\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-15T09:15:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-15T09:15:48+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/\"},\"wordCount\":698,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Liam-Lawson-at-2023-Singapore-Grand-Prix.v1.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Driver Market\",\"Featured\",\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"copyrightYear\":\"2025\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/\",\"name\":\"Liam Lawson\u2019s 2026 F1 Future - Will He Replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Liam-Lawson-at-2023-Singapore-Grand-Prix.v1.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-15T09:15:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-15T09:15:48+00:00\",\"description\":\"Liam Lawson is now \u201cincreasingly likely\u201d to stay with Racing Bulls for the 2026 Formula 1 season.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Liam-Lawson-at-2023-Singapore-Grand-Prix.v1.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Liam-Lawson-at-2023-Singapore-Grand-Prix.v1.webp\",\"width\":1207,\"height\":804},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/\",\"name\":\"Formula1News.co.uk\",\"description\":\"Latest F1 News, Driver Moves & Analysis\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Formula1News.co.uk\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/LogoMakr_0sOxoz.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/LogoMakr_0sOxoz.png\",\"width\":400,\"height\":57,\"caption\":\"Formula1News.co.uk\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/9da8c3e1b814543c4b406f7b39fba6da\",\"name\":\"Chris Wilson\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4852401182b175c6f96f76ebcd91a4ce225b8079ddd8d9c7fb81721a42ff022b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4852401182b175c6f96f76ebcd91a4ce225b8079ddd8d9c7fb81721a42ff022b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Chris Wilson\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/author\/chris\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Liam Lawson\u2019s 2026 F1 Future - Will He Replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull?","description":"Liam Lawson is now \u201cincreasingly likely\u201d to stay with Racing Bulls for the 2026 Formula 1 season.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Liam Lawson\u2019s 2026 F1 Future - Will He Replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull?","og_description":"Liam Lawson is now \u201cincreasingly likely\u201d to stay with Racing Bulls for the 2026 Formula 1 season.","og_url":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/","og_site_name":"Formula1News.co.uk","article_published_time":"2025-07-15T09:15:44+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-07-15T09:15:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1207,"height":804,"url":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Liam-Lawson-at-2023-Singapore-Grand-Prix.v1.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Chris Wilson","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Chris Wilson","Estimated reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/"},"author":{"name":"Chris Wilson","@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/9da8c3e1b814543c4b406f7b39fba6da"},"headline":"Liam Lawson\u2019s 2026 F1 Future – Will He Replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull?","datePublished":"2025-07-15T09:15:44+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-15T09:15:48+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/"},"wordCount":698,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Liam-Lawson-at-2023-Singapore-Grand-Prix.v1.webp","articleSection":["Driver Market","Featured","News"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","copyrightYear":"2025","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/","url":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/","name":"Liam Lawson\u2019s 2026 F1 Future - Will He Replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Liam-Lawson-at-2023-Singapore-Grand-Prix.v1.webp","datePublished":"2025-07-15T09:15:44+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-15T09:15:48+00:00","description":"Liam Lawson is now \u201cincreasingly likely\u201d to stay with Racing Bulls for the 2026 Formula 1 season.","inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/liam-lawsons-2026-f1-future-will-he-replace-yuki-tsunoda-at-red-bull\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Liam-Lawson-at-2023-Singapore-Grand-Prix.v1.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Liam-Lawson-at-2023-Singapore-Grand-Prix.v1.webp","width":1207,"height":804},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/","name":"Formula1News.co.uk","description":"Latest F1 News, Driver Moves & Analysis","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#organization","name":"Formula1News.co.uk","url":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/LogoMakr_0sOxoz.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/LogoMakr_0sOxoz.png","width":400,"height":57,"caption":"Formula1News.co.uk"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/9da8c3e1b814543c4b406f7b39fba6da","name":"Chris Wilson","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4852401182b175c6f96f76ebcd91a4ce225b8079ddd8d9c7fb81721a42ff022b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4852401182b175c6f96f76ebcd91a4ce225b8079ddd8d9c7fb81721a42ff022b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Chris Wilson"},"url":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/author\/chris\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35127"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35127\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}