‘I was naive at Red Bull – but my goal is still the same’

The dust of ruthlessness had barely settled for 24 hours before Liam Lawson made his feelings known. Brutally ousted from Red Bull after two races this season – the shortest ever stint in a full-time Formula One seat – the New Zealander posted on

- By Kieran Jackson

The dust of ruthlessness had barely settled for 24 hours before Liam Lawson made his feelings known. Brutally ousted from Red Bull after two races this season – the shortest ever stint in a full-time Formula One seat – the New Zealander posted on Instagram a drawing from his childhood, depicting him as an F1 driver decked in blue. “It’s what I’ve worked towards my whole life,” the caption read.

Only the most unsympathetic of observers could not have felt a dose of compassion. But now, for the first time in his disorderly F1 career, the 23-year-old is settled. In fact, Lawson is in the midst of a fine stretch of form for Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls, and comes into this weekend in Singapore off the back of a career-best fifth place in Azerbaijan last time out. The only question now, with a 2026 seat far from certain, is: how long will that last?

“My time in F1 has never been, let’s say... simple,” Lawson tells The Independent. “The first year [2023] was five races. Last year was six races. It’s always been about trying to get up to speed with the car.

“Now, I’m in a rhythm and routine where I know the direction the car is going. The speed has been good. And everyone on this team is very positive and optimistic.”

In many ways, Lawson’s 28 F1 races to date, spread across three seasons, are indicative of a career where battling through obstacles ahead has been the key component to his success. Even his first experience in a go-kart, aged seven, saw no immediate signs of star potential.