AUGUST 28, 2026

Mekies says Lawson maximised surprise Red Bull return

Laurent Mekies believes Liam Lawson extracted the available result after being drafted into Red Bull at short notice for Zandvoort.

Liam Lawson's unexpected return to Red Bull produced seventh place and a favourable report from team principal Laurent Mekies.

Lawson was called up to replace the injured Isack Hadjar shortly before the Dutch Grand Prix. Despite having little preparation in the RB22, he qualified eighth, only a tenth of a second behind Max Verstappen.

Verstappen crashed on the opening lap of the race, leaving Lawson as Red Bull's only remaining representative. The New Zealander finished seventh behind the McLarens, Mercedes and Ferraris.

Mekies said changing teams at short notice had become particularly difficult under the 2026 regulations and concluded that Liam did what he could.

Without Verstappen completing the race, Red Bull lacked a direct comparison for Lawson's long-run pace. Mekies nevertheless believed seventh was probably the maximum available result.

The performance does not settle the discussion about Racing Bulls' 2027 line-up. It does, however, strengthen Lawson's position by showing that he can step into the senior team without creating unnecessary excitement.

Nikola Tsolov's 690km Imola test gives Red Bull another option for the future, while Arvid Lindblad continues his first season with Racing Bulls. That makes for a crowded junior programme rather than an immediate reason to remove Lawson.

His Zandvoort weekend was not spectacular. Given the circumstances, it did not need to be. The useful reserve driver is generally the one who arrives, scores the available points and returns the car in one piece.