Liam Lawson is undergoing an unusual preparation before the next Formula 1 event, as he still does not know whether he will race for Red Bull Racing or Racing Bulls. The decision about Max Verstappen’s teammate at the Azerbaijan GP is expected to be made only at the beginning of next week.
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Lawson replaced Isack Hadjar in the last three rounds after the Frenchman suffered a wrist fracture during the category’s break before the Dutch GP. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda took Lawson’s place at Racing Bulls, leaving the New Zealander facing the possibility of having to return to a car he considers quite different.
Lawson himself acknowledged that the biggest difficulty right now is in the preparation: “It’s more the preparation. Preparing for both is a bit difficult, as well as getting used to different cars,” he said. According to him, the sequence of activities with the Red Bull Racing car helped his adaptation progress, while the possibility of switching back to Racing Bulls creates uncertainty.
“It’s quite complicated to prepare myself mentally to know which car I will drive,” Lawson continued. The driver highlighted that he still has no definition about the scenario he will face next weekend at the GP.
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The situation also involves Hadjar’s recovery. Red Bull Racing boss Laurent Mekies stated that the Frenchman is progressing normally and that the team intends to reassess his condition before deciding on his return. The process will include simulator work and a gradual exposure to the real demands of the track.
Mekies explained that the team only intends to put Hadjar back in the car if he is close to 100% recovered: “What we don’t want is to compromise his long-term ability to return to 100% by anticipating the return,” he added.
While awaiting the decision, Lawson also returned to driving the Racing Bulls car at the Pirelli tire test in Imola on Wednesday (16). Still, he acknowledged that a possible return switch during a GP weekend would be more complicated: “The more time I drive this car (Red Bull Racing), the more comfortable I get. Going back now would be quite difficult. It’s completely different to drive,” he concluded.
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