Liam Lawson says he is grateful for the intense expectations Red Bull places on its young drivers after securing his Formula 1 future. The New Zealand racer will race on the 2026 grid for Racing Bulls, taking on a leadership role alongside Arvid Lindblad.
This marks Lawson’s first full season in F1 with the team, following two partial campaigns in 2023 and 2024 and his challenging move to Red Bull’s senior squad this year.
Red Bull’s program is infamous for its demanding environment, where drivers are pushed to perform under extreme pressure. Lawson, however, views this adversity as a crucial learning curve.
“It’s well known that there’s a lot of pressure in this organization, and Red Bull deliberately puts drivers under that extra strain to test how we respond,” Lawson explained to outlets including RacingNews365.
“But this isn’t new to me. I’ve been part of Red Bull for six years, since I was 17, even though I wasn’t at this level back then. The same kind of pressure—discussions about needing to perform or risk a future with the program—was already surrounding me when I was younger. I’m actually grateful that I went through that experience.
“Facing that kind of pressure, and going through the year before I was re-signed, makes this level of expectation feel familiar now.”
Don’t miss any Formula 1 action with this user-friendly 2026 F1 calendar, easily downloadable to your phone or computer.
Download the calendar (https://racingnews365.com/add-the-2026-f1-calendar-to-your-agenda-with-one-click)
