CRUSHED: Liam Lawson’s Struggles Revealed After Ruthless Red Bull F1…read more
CRUSHED: Liam Lawson’s Struggles Revealed After Ruthless Red Bull F1…read more
Liam Lawson’s abrupt and harsh exit from the Red Bull Formula 1 team left the young New Zealander emotionally shaken, according to Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer. After a turbulent two-race spell partnering Max Verstappen, Lawson returned to the Racing Bulls garage looking noticeably deflated.
Bayer, speaking at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, shared candid insights about Lawson’s emotional state when he rejoined the team at their Faenza headquarters. The 23-year-old was substituted back into Racing Bulls following an unexpected driver swap that saw Yuki Tsunoda promoted to Red Bull for the Japanese Grand Prix an aggressive decision that caught many off guard.
“The first time I saw Liam when he came back to Italy, he seemed quite sad,” Bayer said. “He looked confused, like he was still processing everything. It all happened so fast, and you could tell it left an impact on him.”
Bayer noted that Lawson, who had previously built strong relationships within the Racing Bulls team, gradually began to shake off the disappointment and reconnect with his familiar surroundings.
“But he quickly settled back in,” Bayer continued. “He knew the team, the tools, the setup it didn’t take long before the Liam we know was back. He’s a real racer with a sharp sense of humour, and we’re already seeing that spark return.”
Despite Bayer’s remarks, Lawson himself was quick to shut down speculation that his confidence had taken a hit. Speaking to media ahead of the race weekend in Jeddah, Lawson clarified that while the Red Bull stint was brief and challenging, it didn’t cause any long-term damage to his self-belief.
“Confidence-wise, nothing’s really changed from the start of the year,” he explained. “I didn’t spend enough time in that car for it to become a real reflection of my abilities or to leave me feeling defeated.”
Lawson described the two-race spell with Red Bull as “messy,” citing multiple external factors that disrupted his performance, but insisted his focus is now fully back on performing with Racing Bulls.
“It was more about adapting to a new car and environment as quickly as possible,” he said. “That’s where my energy’s gone not on worrying about confidence, which honestly, is right where it’s always been.”
Now back with Racing Bulls, Lawson is determined to prove that he still belongs in the conversation for a future Red Bull seat. With the team expressing full faith in his capabilities, the remainder of the season offers him a crucial opportunity to reset and make a fresh statement on track.
