Racing Bulls boss says they learned ‘tough lessons’ from Daniel Ricciardo ahead of Liam Lawson’s arrival

Liam Lawson’s time at Red Bull came to an abrupt end just two races into the 2025 season, with a move back to the sister team, Racing Bulls, following shortly after.

Even then, Max Verstappen was quick to point out that Racing Bulls might suit him better, and the current championship table supports that view.

It wasn’t until round eight in Monaco that he picked up his first points of the year. He went on to add points in another seven races before the season wrapped up, including a career-best P5 finish at the Azerbaijan GP.

During that stretch, he outscored Yuki Tsunoda—the driver who replaced him at Red Bull—38-30. That form helped Lawson stay on the grid for another year while Tsunoda moved into a reserve role.

Racing Bulls addressed car usability issues following Daniel Ricciardo’s feedback

Liam Lawson had previously filled in for an injured Daniel Ricciardo in 2023 before officially taking over his seat at the end of the 2024 season. Ricciardo struggled with consistency, which was a key issue throughout his time with the team.

Ricciardo’s inconsistency wasn’t helped by what he described as an ‘unpredictable’ VCARB01, something that became more evident over time.

Even after switching chassis to eliminate any potential technical issues, Ricciardo remained uncomfortable behind the wheel. Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane later spoke to The Race about how those struggles taught them some valuable lessons.

Their adjustments ahead of the 2025 season made the car easier to handle, which proved beneficial for Lawson, who was still finding his feet in Formula 1 at that point.

Permane highlighted the changes: “I think we stepped up with a much more solid car. It was a much more drivable, much more user-friendly car, and that’s something that we worked consciously and we worked hard on.”

“We kind of learned some lessons, some tough lessons with the car,” he added. “The aero guys did a really good job in correcting those hardships and applying what we learned.”

Liam Lawson’s Qualifying Still Trails Behind

Racing Bulls’ new approach also suited Isack Hadjar, who quickly adapted as a rookie. Hadjar moves up to Red Bull for 2026, with Arvid Lindblad stepping in to take his place.

Hadjar finished just two places ahead of Lawson in the championship but held a clear edge in qualifying. The final tally was 16-6, or 21-6 when including Sprint weekends.

Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer has highlighted Lawson’s need to improve his one-lap pace heading into 2026. With more stability around him now, he’ll be expected to outperform Lindblad.

If Lindblad comes out on top in their head-to-head battle, it could spell trouble for Lawson’s future — especially if another promising young driver emerges on the scene.