Source: Radio New Zealand
Formula 1 driver Liam Lawson of Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team MARCEL VAN DORST / AFP
Analysis – Consistency is the word that has been linked with Liam Lawson ever since he joined Formula 1 in 2023.
It remains the topic as he heads into round three of the 2026 season.
He has had the highs of finishing fifth at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and lows of not finishing.
Lawson managed to rescue his 2026 season before it had a chance to spiral with an impressive outing at the Chinese Grand Prix.
The year couldn’t have started any worse when, after qualifying well, he had a slow launch in the Australian Grand Prix.
He eventually finished 13th, but most notably he was well behind his rookie team-mate Arvid Lindblad.
Liam Lawson on the grid. FLORENT GOODEN / PHOTOSPORT
Lawson is the senior member of the Racing Bulls team, but the 18-year-old Briton has already shown he is quick and the pair are set for a tussle in the coming months.
This weekend’s Japan Grand Prix marks a year since Lawson returned to the Racing Bulls team after being demoted from Red Bull following a difficult start to the 2025 championship.
The 24-year-old has always felt that he didn’t get enough time to prove his worth in the Red Bull car, but he has now refocussed and is out to prove he’s got a future with the junior team.
While it all fell apart with a poor start in Melbourne, he got back on track in Shanghai with seventh place finishes in both the sprint race and the GP.
“Exceptional” was the way Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane described the team’s effort with Lawson adding that while they did everything right they still need more speed.
Unfortunately for a mid-table team like Racing Bulls that is a tall order and like China and a couple of races last year when Lawson was in the points, it generally comes down to strategy.
Tyre selections and pit strategies have rewarded Racing Bulls in the past and with Suzuka historically offering few overtaking opportunities, it will again be alternate thinking that will be needed.
A two-week break since China will have allowed teams to work on the issues that have plagued many with the new specification cars.
Liam Lawson at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix. FLORENT GOODEN / PHOTOSPORT
Mercedes have the fastest cars and have scored 1-2 finishes in both races so far, while Ferrari are clearly the second best, while world champions McLaren failed to start in China.
After that and it is wide open with the once-dominant team of Red Bull having its issues, most notably Max Verstappen’s DNF in China.
Both McLaren and Red Bull need to respond in Japan, while Aston Martin need to show that they can at least be competitive.
As for Lawson, a quick qualifying time is needed, more points and more importantly show that he’s the number one driver in Racing Bulls.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
