Lawson gets an unprecedented second chance

Liam Lawson has been called up from Racing Bulls to replace the injured Isack Hadjar at Red Bull for this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, creating a rare second chance for the New Zealander at the senior team.

Hadjar reportedly injured his wrist while training during the summer break. His absence has opened the door for Lawson, who made his Formula 1 debut at Zandvoort three years ago after Daniel Ricciardo broke his hand in a practice crash.

The promotion is historic because Lawson is the first Red Bull driver to return to the senior team after being demoted to its junior operation. Red Bull dropped him after only two races of the 2025 season, but his performances this year have earned him another opportunity.

Although the move is temporary and there is no indication that Hadjar will lose his expected place alongside Max Verstappen for 2027, a strong result at Zandvoort could improve Lawson’s prospects of remaining within Red Bull’s Formula 1 structure.

Why Red Bull chose Lawson over Tsunoda

Red Bull opted against recalling its official reserve driver, Yuki Tsunoda, despite Tsunoda having 111 F1 starts compared with Lawson’s 46 and more recent experience driving a Red Bull car.

Lawson’s 2026 form was the decisive factor. He has led Racing Bulls’ efforts and finished ahead of rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad in all but two races that both drivers completed. Lawson also has direct experience with this year’s cars, which are substantially different from those Tsunoda drove in 2025.

That familiarity should reduce the adjustment required before Lawson takes over the Red Bull car. The weekend therefore represents more than an emergency substitution: it is a chance for Lawson to show how much he has developed since his demotion and strengthen his case for a full-time 2027 seat.

Readers rank Antonelli ahead of Hamilton and Verstappen

A separate Prime Tire reader poll placed Kimi Antonelli first in the ranking of 2026 drivers so far, followed by Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Lando Norris was fourth, ahead of Charles Leclerc and George Russell.

Oscar Piastri, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly completed the top 10. Hamilton was the biggest riser compared with an earlier expert ranking, moving from fifth to second, while Norris fell from second to fourth.

The lower reaches of the poll placed Sergio Pérez 20th, Valtteri Bottas 21st and Lance Stroll 22nd. Carlos Sainz was ranked 16th, a position described as harsh despite his recent on-track criticism of Piastri while being lapped in Hungary.

The final driver rankings and team report-card grades are expected at the end of the season.