It\u2019s back to business as usual for Liam Lawson in Azerbaijan this weekend as Isack Hadjar\u2019s return to race fitness means that the Kiwi will be at the wheel of the VCARB 03 once more.<\/p>\n
Lawson\u2019s<\/a> three-race stint at Red Bull Racing<\/a> brought P7 in Zandvoort and P6 in Madrid, with a P14 after a frustrating weekend at Monza in between.<\/p>\n It was an unexpected bonus that in many ways allowed Lawson to exorcise the ghosts of 2025, when he was demoted from the senior team after just two outings, having had very little opportunity to showcase what he could do. However, he downplayed the suggestion that he\u2019s proved a point when quizzed on his stint ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe that’s obviously for you guys to decide,\u201d he said. \u201cFor me, I didn’t come out of last year and question my ability to drive a race car.<\/p>\n “So it’s nice that I’ve been able to obviously have those races and maybe show the rest of the world. But it didn’t change anything for me, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n However, on reflection, the New Zealander was satisfied with how his time with the Red Bull squad panned out.<\/p>\n \u201cMostly,\u201d he said. \u201cYou always look at stuff and go, ‘What could I have done better?’. And there’s definitely things in there that could have been better.<\/p>\n \u201cBut considering a lot of the circumstances, honestly, I was pretty happy overall. I think two of the weekends were strong. [It] would have been nice to have three, but I think overall, it was good.\u201d<\/p>\n With the 24-year-old now gearing up for his Racing Bulls return, he was quizzed on whether he is coming back with more confidence and more knowledge.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, no, none of that really changes,\u201d he explained. \u201cFor me, it’s now just readjusting to my car again.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m excited to be back in it, honestly, and sort of carry on the fight that we’ve been in the first half of the year. In terms of the rest of it, though, it doesn’t really change too much.\u201d<\/p>\n Lawson also made it clear from the start that the two cars require a very different approach, and there\u2019s little he can apply to driving the Racing Bulls. However, he has gained some useful knowledge he can take with him.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the power unit side, potentially, but the rest of the car obviously is completely different,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it’s very hard to compare. The only comparable part is really the powertrain.<\/p>\n \u201cThe thing is, at the moment, track-to-track, it’s all completely different. So that’s more of a challenge. But there’s always other things you pick up.<\/p>\n \u201cEven operationally, you noticed things that the two teams do differently \u2013 some things good that we do, some things good that they do \u2013 and I think that’s been a good experience to learn from.\u201d<\/p>\n