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Live sport on SN this weekendHow Liam Lawson earned his Red Bull ‘opportunity’
Sport Nation • August 21st, 2026 5:43 pm
Liam Lawson | Photo: Antonin Vincent/Photosport
Liam Lawson has earned his return to Red Bull and the Kiwi’s latest opportunity is a chance to put himself in F1's shop window and prove his value to the rest of the grid.
With Isack Hadjar unable to race due to a broken wrist, Lawson has been given the call-up to drive alongside Max Verstappen this weekend — an opportunity PlanetF1 editor Mat Coch believes the New Zealander earned through his form with Racing Bulls.
“Liam's got a phenomenal opportunity this weekend, driving alongside Max Verstappen at the senior Red Bull team, the better Red Bull team in many respects, the one that tends to win races of world championships,” Coch told Sport Nation’s Millsy & Guy.
Hadjar claimed his second F1 podium in the same car at the Monaco Grand Prix in June, leaving motorsport fans wondering if this could be the chance for Lawson to also finish in the top three.
Liam Lawson is different gravy | Scotty & Izzy
Lawson’s promotion came ahead of Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad and Red Bull reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda, who held the seat last year.
However Coch believes Lawson’s performances this season made him the most logical choice.
“The reason he got the nod over his teammate Arvid Lindblad or even Yuki Tsunoda who drove that car last year is that Liam had a phenomenal season.”
Lawson’s previous stint with Red Bull came before he was ready, and Coch believes the 2026 version of Lawson is more prepared, confident and consistent.
“After everything that happened last year, his head dropped a little bit, it took a bit of time to reboot his confidence but that's come back,” he explained.
“This season he's been driving incredibly consistently. He's driving a car that's pretty good and he's leading that team, he's doing all the things that a driver in their second or third year in Formula One really should be doing.”
Lawson has now earned the chance to show what he can do in a race-winning car — but Coch believes the importance of the opportunity extends beyond his immediate future with Red Bull.
The timing of Lawson’s return also works in his favour. Unlike Tsunoda, who has been out of a race seat, Lawson arrives with current experience and momentum.
“What they're trying to do is control the variables and limit the risk and in this instance, putting Yuki Tsunoda in theory, a more credentialed, experienced driver in the car is a higher risk venture than preventing Liam.
“Liam is in form, he's driving well, he has got experience in the current cars, he is race sharp, it's like playing football or rugby or anything, if you've been on the sidelines you're not going to be as sharp in play as if you've been playing week in, week out.”
Yuki Tsunoda | Photo: AP
He believes Lindblad’s lack of experience in F1 also counted against him.
“Putting him (Lawson) in the car makes far more sense, he got the experience, but Lindblad doesn't have that experience, he’s in his first season.”
“And for what is potentially one race, you don't want to have that learning time in a car that is potentially a race winner.”
The length of Lawson’s opportunity remains uncertain. What begins as a one-race stand-in can quickly develop into something longer, as Lawson knows from his previous call-up to replace Daniel Ricciardo in 2023.
“We saw with Daniel Ricciardo a few years ago when Liam stepped in, that turned into three or four races off the top of my head. We don't know what Isack Hadjar's wrist is like, so treating it as one race is what we have to do for the moment.”
Regardless of whether it lasts one race or several, Coch believes Lawson should view the Red Bull drive as a chance to showcase himself to the wider F1 market.
“This is an opportunity to put himself in the shop window.”
Liam Lawson | Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
He claims Lawson’s long-term future may not lie with Red Bull and the New Zealander’s best chance of securing a permanent seat could come elsewhere.
“My little whispers around the paddock are that Liam's future does not lie with Red Bull.”
He declared Lawson he must demonstrate the qualities other teams will value.
“His job this weekend is to show that he's adaptable, he's competitive, he's mature, he doesn't take unnecessary risks because throwing the car off the road is the worst possible thing he could do this weekend.
“It’s about showing to the other team bosses out there that Liam Lawson is a safe pair of hands, a reliable driver with huge potential that will be a valuable addition to their team in the future because right now Red Bull isn't the future for Liam.”
Listen to the full interview below:
