Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer explained that Liam Lawson received a contract for 2026 as his performance was “stabilising” at Racing Bulls.

Acknowledging the New Zealander was “a little shaken” from his short stint as a Red Bull driver, Lawson recovered to a strong enough extent to secure his future at Racing Bulls in 2026.

‘Performance stabilising’ was crucial factor in Liam Lawson renewal

Lawson partnered Isack Hadjar at Racing Bulls for much of the season, and largely finished behind his rookie teammate while getting back to grips with the Red Bull sister team, but as the season progressed, the two were performing at a similar level.

While Hadjar has been promoted to Red Bull to partner Max Verstappen in 2026, Lawson is continuing at Racing Bulls alongside the 2026 season’s only rookie in Arvid Lindblad.

Lawson faced a nervous wait until the Qatar Grand Prix, the penultimate race of the season, to find out his future, though he said at the time that a longer wait to find out his racing plans was something to become used to within the Red Bull stable.

For Bayer, when the team analysed his performances, they could see there was enough to work with to carry on next season.

“To be honest, we see his performance stabilising, and I think that was the most important thing for us,” Bayer told RacingNews365.

“When the decision was made to give him the seat next year, that was the most important factor.”

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Admitting Lawson returned to Racing Bulls “a little shaken” after his short stint at Red Bull, Bayer explained the adaptability of Red Bull’s sister squad is such that the team was able to reintegrate him into his old surroundings quickly.

As the season developed, he pointed to Lawson beginning to outpace Hadjar in equal machinery as he regained confidence behind the wheel.

That said, though, his one-lap pace on a Saturday will require some improvement.

“It’s one of the strengths of the team here that everyone understands that these things can happen,” Bayer explained.

“Because we are constantly developing talent, we are used to changes, even in the middle of a season. Nobody panics, nobody thinks, ‘Oh my God! A new driver’. For us, it’s always, ‘Okay, fine. Let’s find Liam’s seat and put him back in it.’

“He fits in well with our philosophy. He has been part of the Red Bull junior programme for many years and, to be honest, he did everything right (in 2025).

“Despite the setbacks and difficulties, especially in terms of race pace, there were a few races where he was faster than Isack Hadjar. We need to work on his speed in qualifying, but there is a lot of potential.”

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