Liam Lawson has been handed an opportunity few thought he’d ever get again – a return to the Red Bull senior team – alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen. The Kiwi has been called up after Verstappen’s regular teammate, Isack Hadjar, injured his wrist, ruling him out of this weekend’s

Risk: It seems unbelievable, but 2026 was shaping up to be Lawson’s first “normal” Formula 1 season. It’s the first where he’s not a stand-in, was given a proper pre-season of preparation and hasn’t been forced to change teams mid-season.

The results really do speak for themselves, with Lawson going into the summer break as king of the midfield, making Q3 consistently, and banking 43 points to sit ninth in the World Drivers Championship, behind only the big four teams.

The risk of a call-up to Red Bull is that this stability is disrupted right at a time when Lawson was looking to deliver a strong second half of the season.

Reward: Lawson’s reputation was trashed by his two races as a Red Bull driver in Australia and China last year. Voices from inside the team (unfairly) questioned Lawson’s mental toughness, as they sought to justify ditching him.

The elevation back to Red Bull – however short term it might be – gives Lawson the chance to dismiss the doubters once and for all, and prove that he’s a solid, dependable F1 pro, with a long future ahead of him.

Going head to head with Max Verstappen again

Risk: Verstappen has consistently destroyed his teammates in Formula 1, and – until his recall to Racing Bulls this weekend – had effectively finished the career of Yuki Tsunoda at the sport’s highest level.

No one is expecting Lawson to beat Verstappen in the same car, but he needs to be close enough to be respectable, which means making Q3 and finishing above the Racing Bulls in the points. Not easy in a car he’s never driven, on a sprint weekend with only one practice session.

Reward: Isack Hadjar has bucked this trend. The Frenchman sits eighth in the drivers championship, just above Lawson, and has been a consistent points-scorer for Red Bull in 2026. His performance has already led the paddock to assume he’ll be re-signed alongside Verstappen for 2027 (should the Dutch great stay).

If Lawson can mirror Hadjar’s performance in the Red Bull, his stock in the F1 driver market will rise even higher. And his name could re-enter the conversation at Red Bull should Verstappen leave. It’s a slightly surreal turn of events.

Giving Yuki Tsunoda a chance at Racing Bulls

Risk: For most of 2025 the relationship between old Red Bull Junior mates Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson looked strained. And for good reason, only one of them was going to remain in Formula 1 for 2026. Lawson prevailed, being signed for Racing Bulls, while Tsunoda was demoted to reserve driver for both teams, and was thought to be headed to Indycars in the United States for 2027.

Tsunoda’s return in a Racing Bulls car opens a window of opportunity for the Japanese driver almost everyone had thought shut out for good. A very strong result for Tsunoda, especially in comparison with rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad, will be a problem Lawson doesn’t need.

Reward: Lawson has generally had the measure of Lindblad in 2026 (despite what the partisan British motorsport press would have you believe). He’s ahead in qualifying, has outraced Lindblad, especially on the first lap, and has 20 more points than him in the championship.

If Lindblad trounces Tsunoda at Zandvoort, it’ll show just how far Lawson has come in terms of performance and pace.

If the weekend goes badly

Risk: Lawson has had a very clean and consistent 2026, with few driver errors or crashes. You can see the risk management in Lawson’s driving this year, which has led to some very strong results. He’s matured, too – there have been some situations in which, in past seasons, he could have landed himself in bother.

But this is Formula 1, and over the course of a 23-race season it’s inevitable that a little bad luck will come his way. A pessimist might wonder if he’s overdue some bad luck.

Having a crash or collision after being promoted back to Red Bull would be very bad timing, and would be seized upon by the notoriously fickle F1 press and fans on social media.

Reward: Lawson’s goal will be to execute the race weekend in a methodical manner and bring home some decent points without getting into trouble. This season he’s proved he can do this, week after week in the Racing Bulls, leading to plenty of praise from RB team boss Alan Permane.

A weekend like this will enhance Lawson’s already glowing 2026 reputation massively.