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F1’s Liam Lawson Jokes About His ‘Terrible’ Friendship with Rookie Isack Hadjar

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated May 11, 2025 12:40 PM ET

Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar may both be rising stars in the world of Formula 1, but based on their recent appearance in a challenge video, you’d think they were rivals — or at least trying to act like it.

In a new episode of the “It Takes Two” challenge, the pair sat down to test their teamwork and general knowledge. But before the first question even dropped, Lawson was already stirring the pot.

“Honestly, no,” Lawson replied when asked if he thought they’d make a good team. “We don’t talk away from the camera, you know. We act like we’re close, but to be honest, the relationship is pretty bad between us.”

Hadjar, looking amused, couldn’t help but laugh along — and neither could the fans. The dry humor and faux tension set the tone for a back-and-forth full of jabs and jokes.

When the host of the challenge asked Hadjar if he was smart and had a good grip over general trivia, Lawson jumped in to answer: “No, no, Isack is smart. He’s a smart guy. So I think he'll probably be better.”

Hadjar responded with a smirk: “Stop hyping me up, bro.”

The two VCARB stars clearly enjoy a rapport built on sarcasm and friendly mockery — and it’s quickly becoming a fan favorite dynamic online.

While the laughs come easy in front of the camera, Lawson and Hadjar are under serious pressure on the track in 2025. Lawson started the season as Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull Racing — a massive vote of confidence after his impressive appearances in 2023.

8 of the 20 drivers on the 2025 F1 grid have been a Red Bull junior at some point. 40% of the grid.

• Max Verstappen
• Carlos Sainz
• Pierre Gasly
• Alex Albon
• Yuki Tsunoda
• Liam Lawson
• Jack Doohan
• Isack Hadjar

Creds to u/beanbagreg on Reddit. pic.twitter.com/EZIxk6G7hg
— Daniel Valente ️ (@F1GuyDan) December 20, 2024

But after a rough opening run, he was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda just a few races in. Now back at VCARB (formerly AlphaTauri), Lawson is trying to steady his season and salvage his standing within Red Bull’s ruthless driver program.

Meanwhile, Hadjar, promoted to F1 this year, is still finding his feet. While he’s shown raw speed, mistakes and race craft inconsistencies are some of the things that he is still struggling with.

So yes — they’re throwing playful jabs in a lighthearted challenge. But underneath the laughs is real pressure. At VCARB, nothing is guaranteed — and both Lawson and Hadjar know the fight for their future is very, very real.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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