Liam Lawson Compared to Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar

Liam Lawson began the 2025 Formula 1 season alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull, but his journey has since taken a different turn.



After a difficult start, the New Zealander is finding his rhythm again with Racing Bulls.



From Red Bull Seat to Racing Bulls Return



Liam Lawson was selected by Christian Horner to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull earlier this year, a move that offered him the biggest opportunity of his career.



However, the 24-year-old struggled to adapt in the second car, failing to escape Q1 or score points in Australia and China — circuits he had never raced before.



After just a few races, he was dropped from the main team at Suzuka and returned to Racing Bulls, where he had previously made substitute appearances in 2023 and 2024.



Since his demotion, Lawson has scored 36 points, achieving a career-best finish of fifth in Baku and finishing seventh at the Brazilian Grand Prix ahead of teammate Isack Hadjar.



His engineer dubbed him the “Minister of Defence of New Zealand” after his impressive defensive drives, marking a notable turnaround in his season.



Praise from Former Drivers



Former Formula 1 driver Christijan Albers praised Lawson’s on-track mentality, comparing it to that of four-time world champion Max Verstappen.



“I like Lawson and I said so yesterday too. He has a certain attitude that is a bit like Max,” Albers said on the Telegraaf Formule 1 podcast.



“He is not afraid, he really doesn’t care about anything. I mean, if something happens on the track, his involvement is usually 80%.



“You can see that he really doesn’t give an inch, and I like that. But I do miss the ground speed that Hadjar has. Hadjar really has that extra bit of speed in him, so you always had the upper hand.



“But, I think it’s nice to see that, for example, he falls into that category of boldness of Verstappen.”



Liam Lawson’s Fight to Secure His Future



Lawson has openly admitted that his 2025 season has not gone as planned.



He has said that he would not rate his year highly, citing the challenges he faced at Red Bull and the limited time he had to adapt.



Since returning to Racing Bulls, however, his confidence has grown, and his results have improved significantly.



With three races left in the season , Lawson will be instrumental in helping the Faenza-based team defend sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship.



If he maintains this form, there’s a strong possibility Racing Bulls could retain him for 2026 — a move that would allow him to continue rebuilding his Formula 1 career and prove he deserves another shot at the top team in the future.
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