Racing Bulls have moved into fifth place in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship after Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad delivered another double-points finish at the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix. The result allowed the Faenza team to overtake Alpine and enter the summer break as the leading force in the midfield.
That championship position accurately reflects the level of performance Racing Bulls have produced during the first half of the season. The battle for the top 10 was far from straightforward at the Hungaroring, particularly with Audi applying pressure in the points-paying positions, making the outcome secured by Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad even more significant.
Liam Lawson recovers from difficult qualifying at the Hungarian GP
After a challenging qualifying session in which he failed to reach Q3, Liam Lawson transformed the direction of his weekend during the opening stages of the race. The New Zealander admitted that his own performance on Saturday had left him with considerable work to do.
“I did a terrible job in qualifying and we put ourselves in a difficult position, especially considering how competitive the car was,” Liam Lawson explained after the Hungarian Grand Prix. “However, I knew today could go well, so I focused on the start and the opening lap.”
A strong getaway gave Lawson the platform he needed, although the Racing Bulls driver knew that maintaining his progress would require both competitive race pace and the correct strategic calls.
“After a strong start, we knew we had a long race ahead of us, but the car felt really strong throughout,” he continued. “A huge thank you to the team for making the right decision with the two-stop strategy.”
Lawson’s recovery contributed to Racing Bulls’ second consecutive double-points result. The team’s performance in Hungary also came during a race in which Max Verstappen expressed his frustration with the Racing Bulls drivers over team radio.
For Liam Lawson, ending the first half of the season with both cars inside the top 10 demonstrated the progress made throughout the opening 11 rounds and provided the ideal foundation for the summer break.
“Having both cars in the points is a great way to finish the first half of the season,” he added. “Going into the summer break fifth in the Constructors’ Championship reflects all the hard work the team has done so far this year. Although I’m happy to recharge over the next few weeks, I can’t wait to carry this momentum into Zandvoort.”
Arvid Lindblad left frustrated despite another points finish
Arvid Lindblad endured a more difficult afternoon after starting ninth on the grid. Although the young British driver did not consider it his strongest race, he successfully retained a place inside the top 10 and helped Racing Bulls secure its important double-points finish.
“It’s a good day for the team and I’m very happy for them,” Arvid Lindblad said after the race. “They gave us a good car throughout the weekend, the pit stops were once again really good, we scored double points and we’re P5 in the championship. So it’s a good way to head into the summer break. Obviously, though, I’m not completely happy with my race because it was a little frustrating.”
Despite that disappointment, Lindblad’s assessment of his first 11 Formula 1 races remained positive. His qualifying performance in Hungary provided another example of the potential he has demonstrated during his rookie campaign, even if he acknowledged that further improvement is required.
“I think it has been a very strong first half of the season overall,” he explained. “I believe I’ve had many positive moments in which I’ve shown what I can do, and qualifying was another example. So I have no doubts about the good moments because I’ve shown positive things. At the same time, I’m aware that there are areas in which I can do better.”
Lindblad’s performances have also strengthened his standing within the Red Bull driver programme, while Isack Hadjar’s progress at Red Bull has been assessed at the halfway stage of the season.
Racing Bulls overtake Alpine for fifth in the F1 standings
The points scored by Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad lifted Racing Bulls above Alpine and into fifth position in the Constructors’ Championship, with the Faenza team now holding a five-point advantage over its rival.
Team principal Alan Permane believes the last two Grands Prix have demonstrated that Racing Bulls are continuing to improve. He also suggested that scoring points becomes the natural expectation when a team possesses the fifth-fastest car in race conditions.
“Over the last two races, we have shown that we are continuing to improve, and when you have the fifth-best car in the race,
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