The Azerbaijan Grand Prix of 2025 represented a significant peak in Liam Lawson’s developing Formula 1 journey.
An impressive Q3 performance on a damp Baku circuit elevated the Racing Bulls competitor to third place on the starting grid; he initially fell behind both Mercedes cars during the race but swiftly capitalized on Yuki Tsunoda for fifth position immediately after the Red Bull driver’s pit stop.
Racing Bulls team director Alan Permane lauded Lawson’s “20 flawless laps nearing the end, successfully holding off the cars behind him”, while Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko communicated to Autosport: “It was a very intense battle. We instructed Yuki to achieve quick lap times before the pitstop. Our objective was for him to maintain a lead over Lawson, which was accomplished.
“However, the tyres lacked sufficient warmth, allowing Lawson to seize the opportunity and overtake him. It was a highly competitive exchange between the two. Both demonstrated speed, with Yuki consistently within a tenth of a second, highlighting the level of competition between the two teams.”
Lawson’s pass on Tsunoda carried symbolic weight, especially considering Tsunoda’s achievement of his best race finish since the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – the New Zealander had replaced Tsunoda at Red Bull earlier in the season following a disappointing initial pair of grand prix events.
Red Bull had initially considered promoting the relatively unproven Lawson over the more experienced Tsunoda for the 2025 season, driven by the belief in Lawson’s greater potential, but later reversed this decision after Lawson’s struggles – qualifying 18th, 20th, and 20th in Australia and both Chinese qualifying rounds.
Liam Lawson, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
Lawson expressed his disappointment with the decision, acknowledging its negative impact on his self-assurance as Racing Bulls faced the challenge of rehabilitating another potentially promising driver after a setback.
The 23-year-old faced difficulties upon returning to Faenza. Despite being hampered by technical issues on two occasions, he was outqualified by his rookie teammate Isack Hadjar in eight out of nine qualifying sessions upon his return to the team, demonstrating subpar pace in early races and involvement in racing incidents.
However, Lawson’s improvement has been noticeable. Between the Japan and Canada races, his average single-lap deficit to Hadjar (excluding mechanical issues) stood at 0.208 seconds; this gap has since shrunk to 0.009 seconds across the subsequent eight sessions.
Apart from the Dutch Grand Prix, where he sustained a puncture from minimal contact with Carlos Sainz, Lawson has consistently converted Q3 appearances into top-eight finishes through consistent, error-free performances.
With 26 points secured, Lawson ranks as the eighth-best performing F1 driver since the summer break began; only Alex Albon has accumulated more points (28) among midfield competitors during this period, while Hadjar trails with 18. Lawson’s influence at Racing Bulls is undeniable, with the Italian team climbing from eighth to sixth place in the constructors’ standings over the course of the last three grand prix events.
Lawson’s argument for maintaining his Racing Bulls seat in 2026 gains strength, although he is not currently in contention for a return to Red Bull – a prospect that is no longer his primary aspiration.
“I dedicated a significant amount of time, especially upon joining [Red Bull] as a junior at the age of 17, focusing solely on securing a position at Red Bull Racing – that was where I envisioned my future,” he explained during Thursday’s press conference at the Azerbaijan GP.
“Perhaps… Not that I lost sight of my reasons for competing, but that ambition consumed me. It is now easier to reflect and recognize that my ultimate goal has consistently been achieving victory and reaching the pinnacle, irrespective of the specific team or location.”
Additional reporting by Ronald Vording
