Liam Lawson returns to Racing Bulls for Azerbaijan Grand Prix after Red Bull stand-in

Liam Lawson is set to return to his Racing Bulls duties this weekend for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Formula 1 announced, after he stood in for the injured Isack Hadjar for the last three rounds at Red Bull Racing. With Hadjar back to race fitness, Lawson will again take the wheel of the VCARB 03 at Baku.

Formula 1 said Lawson’s time as Red Bull’s stand-in included a P7 finish at Zandvoort and a P6 at Madrid, with a P14 recorded after a difficult weekend at Monza. Speaking about the stint, Lawson played down any suggestion that the performances were “proving a point,” telling Formula 1: “Maybe that's obviously for you guys to decide.” He added that for him, last year’s concerns about his ability did not carry forward into his preparation for this season.

Reflecting further, Lawson said he was broadly satisfied with how the Red Bull Racing period played out, while acknowledging there were areas that could have been better. He stated that moving between cars required a different driving approach, with the only broadly comparable element being the powertrain. He also pointed to operational differences he learned from, while saying the Racing Bulls return primarily involves readjusting to his car.

The Azerbaijan weekend also coincides with confirmation that Hadjar has retained his seat for 2027, an announcement Lawson acknowledged as timely but said he was not looking ahead in those terms during his Red Bull Racing run. Looking toward his immediate focus, Lawson said Red Bull’s next steps in the coming weeks will be discussed behind the scenes, while he concentrates on keeping his points momentum going.

Written by Vancouver Television Sports Desk