Liam Lawson's Strong Case for Red Bull Seat After Impressive Performance

Liam Lawson’s audition for a full-time Red Bull seat quietly took a serious step forward – not with fireworks, but with numbers that made people inside the paddock sit up.

Thrown into the RB22 with no prior running, Lawson had set himself a blunt, unforgiving target: stay within three-tenths of Max Verstappen. That’s the benchmark that breaks most drivers. He got within 0.115s.

Given the circumstances, that gap might be the most telling statistic of his weekend. No familiarity with the car. Limited preparation. Verstappen in full flow. And Lawson still stopped the clocks close enough to suggest this was no one-off cameo, but the beginning of a genuine case for more.

Hadjar fitness race leaves Monza seat in limbo

The next chapter, though, is out of his hands.

Between Zandvoort and Monza sits a week of waiting, and for now there is no firm timeline on Isack Hadjar’s fitness. Inside the paddock and among those close to the situation, the message is consistent: nothing is guaranteed for Italy.

Multiple sources have confirmed there is no clear yes or no on Hadjar’s participation at the Italian Grand Prix. Red Bull and the wider operation are prepared to give the Frenchman as long as possible to prove he can race at Monza, and no one is rushing that call.

Behind the scenes, contingency plans are being quietly discussed. One scenario raised by a source, described as an absolute worst case, would see Hadjar start the weekend by taking part in the opening practice session, then hand the car to Lawson if he is later ruled unfit to continue.

That kind of mid-weekend switch is not straightforward. It would need the green light from the FIA, motorsport’s governing body, and would likely invite scrutiny from rivals. But the fact it has even been floated underlines how delicately this situation is being managed.

Mugello mileage: Lawson keeps learning the RB22

While Hadjar works on proving his fitness, Lawson has been busy doing the one thing every reserve driver craves: driving.

Red Bull sent the Kiwi to Mugello for a Pirelli tyre test, dropping him into the RB22 on the opening day as one of two drivers on duty alongside McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. No points on offer, no crowds in the grandstands, but for Lawson it was gold dust.

The programme was pure research and development for Pirelli, focused on gathering data on tyre compounds earmarked for the 2027 Formula One season. For Lawson, it doubled as a rare, extended chance to live inside a current Red Bull car.

He made it count. By the end of the day he had logged 116 laps of the Tuscan circuit – roughly two race distances – pounding around Mugello’s fast, flowing corners and building the kind of muscle memory and confidence you cannot simulate on a laptop.

Once his work was done, Lawson climbed out and handed the car over to Racing Bulls reserve Ayumu Iwasa for the overnight running. Another job ticked off. Another line on the CV.

Monza on the horizon

The Italian Grand Prix weekend opens on September 4 (NZT), with the race set for September 7. Somewhere between now and first practice, a decision will land on Hadjar’s fitness and, by extension, Lawson’s immediate future.

If the call goes the Kiwi’s way, he will arrive at Monza sharper, better prepared, and with fresh mileage in the RB22 under his belt. If it doesn’t, that 0.115s against Verstappen and those 116 laps at Mugello will still sit there, quietly strengthening his case for whatever opportunity comes next.