F1 | Liam Lawson on Racing Bulls 2026 seat: “I knew after Qatar GP, never considered Red Bull return”. Liam Lawson will stay at Racing Bulls for the 2026 F1 season alongside rookie Arvid Lindblad.

The New Zealander will remain at Racing Bulls next season, this time alongside rookie Arvid Lindblad.

Still in Faenza

The days leading up to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix were filled with announcements from Red Bull and Racing Bulls. The Milton Keynes and Faenza teams officially confirmed their 2026 line-ups. Isack Hadjar has been promoted to the “main” team alongside Max Verstappen, while Liam Lawson – despite a challenging season – will retain his seat at Racing Bulls and next year will be joined by debutant Arvid Lindblad.

Lawson’s continuation in F1 was not guaranteed, considering his disastrous start to the season. After being chosen in the winter as a Red Bull driver, he was immediately demoted to Racing Bulls following the first two Grands Prix. Speaking to the media at Abu Dhabi, including GP-News.net, Liam Lawson revealed that he only discovered his future after the conclusion of the Lusail race.

No illusions

“I found out after the Qatar GP,” the driver confirmed to journalists. “So I entered that weekend not knowing anything, even though I was trying to find out. The announcement was made to me after the race, and it was nice because Alan [Permane, Racing Bulls team principal] also told me.”

The promotion of Hadjar to Red Bull, who is Lawson’s teammate in VCARB, did not unsettle the young New Zealander much. He explained that he never thought about returning alongside Max Verstappen. “Honestly, [returning to Red Bull] wasn’t something I thought much about this year,” Liam Lawson said. “Especially considering that the start of the season included some very tough races. For the first part of this year, honestly, I think I was focused only on regaining my balance and getting used to this car. I had missed pre-season and car development, so we made some adjustments to make it a bit more comfortable for me during the year.” – he pointed out ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.

Regarding pressure, Liam Lawson added: “Red Bull is known for trying to put extra pressure on us drivers to see how we perform, but it’s something we’ve been experiencing for a long time now.”

With his 2026 seat now officially confirmed alongside exciting newcomer Arvid Lindblad, Liam Lawson can head into the off-season knowing exactly where he stands – and with a clear goal of proving the Red Bull hierarchy wrong in the year ahead.