Jenson Button and Martin Brundle want Racing Bulls to make key Liam Lawson call for 2026

Speaking on Sky Sports F1 (19/10, 7:05 pm), Brundle said: “I think he’s putting in some good performances. Obviously, Isack Hadjar, alongside him, is extremely strong, and we expect him to move upstairs to the main Red Bull team, don’t we?

“So, let’s see what happens for Liam, but it’s tough in the midfield. There’s so much peril there and it’s so close.

“But I think he’s done a good enough job to be considered for next year. But there are so many elements involved in signing a driver.

“Teams play the long game. There are other pieces of the jigsaw puzzle we won’t know about; there might be some commercial realities as well that go with that. So I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Button then offered his view: “Some drivers are very good under pressure. You put them in a car; they’re going to succeed immediately. Other drivers take more; they need more nurturing, and knowing that you have a two-year contract would give you so much more confidence in yourself and not pressurising yourself to perform and then overdriving.

“So maybe he’s one of those drivers. I would love to see him on this team for a couple of years so we can really see what he can get out of it.

“We also have a massive shift next year in regulations. So having a driver they know that they can work with and develop that car is important also.”

Martin Brundle recalls the advice he gave Liam Lawson after Red Bull exit

Yuki Tsunoda is emerging as the main competitor for Lawson’s seat at Racing Bulls, especially with Helmut Marko weighing up whether to bring Arvid Lindblad into the team for 2026.

Tensions rose between them during qualifying at the Circuit of the Americas when Tsunoda accused Lawson of intentionally disrupting his laps.

Lawson’s short-lived time with Red Bull ended after just two races, and while the Japanese star was promoted in his place, he has not capitalised on that opportunity and is currently 16th in the standings.

Tsunoda’s future in Formula 1 looks uncertain, and Brundle has spoken about what he advised him earlier this season.

“That’s something I said to Liam, actually, a bit earlier in the year, is the great thing about this hero-zero business of ours, it’s a fashion business when it comes to drivers.

“The team bosses are scared silly of making the wrong decision on drivers, but if you’re only as good as your last race, that can cut both ways. Have a tremendous afternoon here, and suddenly you’re king of the castle.”