New Zealand driver Liam Lawson has recently shown solid growth in Formula 1, emerging as one of the midfield drivers who has scored the most points over the last four races, three of which he finished in the top 10. These improvements stem largely from the behind-the-scenes work he has done with his engineers, which led to a modification of the front suspension developed using the simulator.
Among midfield drivers, Liam Lawson has quietly started to reverse a disappointing start to the 2025 season. In recent races, the young New Zealander has demonstrated steady, subtle yet impactful progress, treating each event as a small step forward and ready to make a lasting impression without drawing excessive attention but through consistent performance.
Looking at the last four Grands Prix—the Austrian, British, Belgian, and Hungarian—Lawson’s progress becomes clear. He accumulated a total of sixteen points during this period, surpassing what he had collected in the rest of the season combined. This is a notable achievement that deserves careful examination within the broader context of the championship.
Only two midfield drivers have scored more points than Lawson in the same timeframe: Fernando Alonso, who earned eighteen points, boosted by a brilliant fifth-place finish in Hungary, and Nico Hulkenberg, with seventeen points. However, Nico Hulkenberg’s strong recent results were heavily influenced by his remarkable rain-soaked podium at Silverstone, which significantly boosted his points tally.
What sets Lawson apart is the consistency with which he has delivered results, aside from the Silverstone weekend. Beyond his retirement early in that race, the Racing Bulls car had also failed to perform well in qualifying. This upward trend, therefore, goes beyond pure speed and encompasses steady results that confirm continuous progress.
So where does this improvement come from? Earlier in the season, Lawson’s performance had been somewhat inconsistent. Although he mentioned having a good connection with the car when returning to Faenza, that bond rarely translated into performances meeting expectations, due to various incidents and technical challenges. The exception was Monaco, where the Racing Bulls VCARB02 proved to be the most competitive midfield car, scoring points with both drivers on a track that suited the car’s characteristics perfectly.
Another key technical factor in Lawson’s growth relates to work done on the front suspension. Similar to what was observed with Lando Norris, the front-end setup can significantly affect driver feel, representing one of the few direct links between the car, tires, and track surface.
In Norris’s case, the changes are not visibly noticeable from the outside except for the fairing of the upper wishbone, but the true innovation lies within the internal mechanics: a different interaction of components that alters steering behavior and provides greater natural driving feel. Lawson has also benefited from a comparable upgrade.
Alan Permane, recently promoted to Team Principal of Racing Bulls following an internal reshuffle at Red Bull that saw Laurent Mekies move from Faenza to Milton Keynes, explained how these front suspension modifications, developed in the simulator, marked a turning point. While the front suspension is supplied by Red Bull as part of the technical partnership, Racing Bulls has the ability to work on improvements and tailor it to suit the drivers’ needs.
“Yes, [Lawson] has really done an excellent job, honestly. The two races with Red Bull were, of course, very tough for him. He won’t thank me for saying this, but he was definitely a bit down. He didn’t have his usual energy, and we did our best to help him,” Permane said during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, highlighting Lawson’s journey and the reasons behind his growth.
“Jumping straight into our car without ever having tested it was obviously not easy. He immediately found himself competing with Isack [Hadjar], who has been exceptional this year. His first race with us was in Japan, and Isack was really flying then. So it wasn’t an easy start for him, but we made changes.”
“But Liam worked hard. He and his engineer put in a lot of effort. In Austria, we saw a sort of turning point. We had a new front suspension for him, developed in the simulator, and he really liked it, was enthusiastic about it, and it worked. He also performed well at Spa last week. After that Austrian race, improvements were clear… Monaco was a decent race for him, but in Austria, he regained his energy.”
This renewed confidence combined with technical upgrades is helping to deliver a more solid and consistent version of Liam Lawson to the Formula 1 paddock. After months of ups and downs, the young New Zealand driver finally appears to be heading in the right direction to make a lasting impact. And perhaps this newfound consistency is exactly what he needs to secure his future in the sport, especially considering his seat for next season is still far from guaranteed.
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