Tag: Racing Bulls

Liam Lawson Baffled by Arvid Lindblad Baku Clash: ‘I Just Don’t Understand,’ ‘Sucks for Our Race’
Key Highlights
- Racing Bulls teammates Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad collided at Turn 1 on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix restart, ending Lawson’s points hopes while Lindblad recovered to finish P7.
- Lindblad’s P7 finish, just 0.030s ahead of Esteban Ocon, delivered crucial midfield points as Alpine rivals Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto retired in a separate intra-team collision.
- Both drivers acknowledged the team lacked pace all weekend, with Lawson admitting “they were much quicker than us” and Lindblad calling it “damage limitation” on a difficult weekend.
Teammates Clash on Restart as Racing Bulls Salvage Points in Baku

A promising double-points opportunity for Racing Bulls unraveled in chaotic fashion at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix when teammates Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad made contact on the Safety Car restart. The incident occurred as both drivers, having recovered from Q2 elimination to run in the top ten on fresh tires, approached Turn 1 three abreast. Lindblad, diving down the inside, tagged the rear of Lawson’s car and sent the New Zealander spinning into the run-off area.

Lawson Left Searching for Answers After “Smoked” Move

Lawson, who ultimately finished P12 after sustaining floor damage, was visibly perplexed by his rookie teammate’s decision-making. Asked for his view on the incident, he said: “I need to watch it. We were all coming into Turn 1 on the restart and I just got smoked from my left. It put a hole in my floor as well.

“I don’t really know what gap he was looking for in the middle of both of us going into Turn 1 – I just don’t understand it. Obviously great points for the team but it sucks for our race.”

The 22-year-old’s frustration was understandable: both cars had capitalized on the Safety Car to vault into points contention, only for the intra-team collision to halve the team’s potential haul.

Lindblad Defends Move Amid “Absolute Mess” at Turn 1

Lindblad, 19, offered a different perspective on the frenzied restart sequence. He believed the poorly bunched field left him with no viable alternative. Lindblad, meanwhile, believed that he had nowhere else to go, as he explained: “At the back where we were, we’d gone about three times on the straight before we actually went because the field wasn’t bunched up well at all.

“It was just an absolute mess going into Turn 1. Everyone was moving a lot. Obviously a bit of a shame to hit Liam but if you see the incident, you can see there’s not much I could’ve done. I came and immediately apologised to him, and obviously I apologised to the team because there could’ve been two of us up there today.”

The rookie managed to continue without terminal damage, eventually passing Haas’ Esteban Ocon over the finish line by a minuscule 0.030 seconds to secure P7 — a result that proved pivotal in the constructors’ battle.

Why This Matters: Midfield Swing in Racing Bulls’ Favor

The Baku outcome represents a significant swing in the tight midfield championship fight. While Racing Bulls lost a likely double-points finish, Lindblad’s P7 — combined with the double retirement of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto following their own teammate collision at nearly the same moment — handed Racing Bulls a net gain in the constructors’ standings. Both Alpine drivers retired with damage after contact between them, amplifying the value of Lindblad’s solitary point-scoring finish.

Perhaps more concerning for Racing Bulls is the admitted pace deficit. Lawson was blunt in his post-race assessment: “We got very lucky today – they were much quicker than us and they have been all weekend. We need to try and turn it around next week.” Lindblad echoed the sentiment, describing the weekend as “very difficult” with struggles to escape Q1, and framing the result as “damage limitation when you’re struggling on a weekend.” The team’s ability to extract points despite lacking raw speed speaks to operational execution, but the underlying performance gap remains a priority for the upcoming Singapore round.

Frequently Asked Questions

What caused the collision between Lawson and Lindblad in Baku?

On the Safety Car restart, Lindblad attempted an inside pass at Turn 1 while three cars were abreast. He made contact with the rear of Lawson’s car, spinning the New Zealander into the run-off area and damaging his floor. Lawson dropped to P12; Lindblad continued to finish P7.

How did the Alpine collision affect the constructors’ standings battle?

Alpine teammates Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto collided at nearly the same time as the Racing Bulls incident, resulting in both cars retiring. With Alpine scoring zero points and Racing Bulls securing six points via Lindblad’s P7, the Baku weekend delivered a meaningful swing in the midfield championship fight.

What did the drivers say about Racing Bulls’ pace deficit?

Both drivers acknowledged the car lacked competitiveness all weekend. Lawson stated: “We got very lucky today – they were much quicker than us and they have been all weekend.” Lindblad called it “a very difficult weekend” and “damage limitation,” emphasizing the need to understand why they “haven’t been faster” before the next race in Singapore.
09/26/2026
Racing Bulls’ Mixed Fortunes: Liam Lawson Returns, Arvid Lindblad Crashes in 2026 Azerbaijan GP Practice
Key Highlights
- Liam Lawson returns to Racing Bulls after a three-race stint at Red Bull, finishing 12th in FP2 and targeting a top-10 qualifying spot.
- Rookie Arvid Lindblad crashed heavily in FP2 at the castle section, bringing out red flags and causing significant right-side damage to his car.
- Team Principal Alan Permane refused to punish Lindblad, calling it “rookie enthusiasm” and emphasizing support over criticism.
Lawson Returns to Familiar Surroundings as Racing Bulls Reset in Baku

Racing Bulls experienced a Thursday of contrasting fortunes on the streets of Baku, with Liam Lawson settling back into the squad after his temporary promotion to Red Bull Racing while rookie Arvid Lindblad learned a harsh lesson on the unforgiving Azerbaijan circuit. The New Zealander completed a solid FP1 in seventh place before slipping to 12th in the afternoon session, while the British youngster’s day ended prematurely against the barriers.

Lindblad’s Rookie Error Brings Out Red Flags

The second practice session told a dramatically different story for the team’s newest addition. Twenty minutes into FP2, Lindblad clouted the walls through the castle section, bringing out the red flags and causing significant damage to the right-hand side of his machinery. The incident echoed his previous FP2 crash in Madrid, raising questions about his adaptation to street circuits. The British driver radioed his team to apologise, saying he’d just clipped the wall by a millimetre. He also faced a scary moment earlier in the session when the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton suddenly appeared in front of him in the final sector while he was on a hot lap, forcing him to take avoiding action.

Permane Offers Support Over Punishment for Young Driver

Speaking after the session, Team Principal Alan Permane made it clear he would not come down hard on his rookie. “It’s not the time to come down on him like a ton of bricks, it’s the time to support him. It was a millimetre. It’s a bit of a shame. It’s certainly not the right time to crash like that, if that was Q3 and he was absolutely going for it, you can understand it. But it’s a little bit of ‘the car was feeling good’. I think it’s just a little bit of rookie enthusiasm, but nothing more than that.” Permane added that Lindblad was looking quick on that lap and the team are going to take that as a positive going into the rest of the event.

Welcome Return for Lawson After Red Bull Loan Spell

Permane also welcomed the fact the squad have Lawson back after a three-race stint covering Isack Hadjar at sister team Red Bull Racing. “Much as we love Yuki [Tsunoda] — and the whole team does, he’s a very popular figure – it’s good to have Liam back in his car, in the team, working very, very well with Arvid, and those two lift each other up through the weekend.” Lawson himself expressed satisfaction at the reunion. “Honestly, it was good. This morning we were quite strong. We definitely didn’t have the same performance in FP2, where everybody else made a decent step, so we have to look at that and try and improve things for tomorrow. But overall, it’s good. It’s nice to be back in my car. It feels like home, but we have some work to do to match those guys.” The New Zealander confirmed the team will be working overnight to improve in the low speed corners to try and get themselves into the top 10 in Qualifying on Friday.

Why This Matters

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix represents a critical juncture for Racing Bulls’ driver development strategy. With Lawson’s return from his Red Bull Racing audition, the team gains valuable experience and a benchmark for car performance, while Lindblad’s baptism of fire on a street circuit highlights the steep learning curve facing rookie drivers in Formula 1. The team’s decision to support rather than sanction Lindblad signals a long-term developmental approach, prioritizing confidence-building over immediate results. As the only practice session before Friday qualifying under the sprint format, Thursday’s running carried outsized importance, and the overnight work on low-speed corner performance will determine whether Racing Bulls can translate their FP1 promise into a competitive grid position.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Liam Lawson driving for Red Bull Racing recently?

Lawson completed a three-race stint at Red Bull Racing covering for Isack Hadjar before returning to his regular Racing Bulls seat for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.

What caused Arvid Lindblad’s crash in FP2?

Lindblad clipped the wall by a millimetre through the castle section of the Baku street circuit, bringing out red flags and causing significant damage to the right-hand side of his car.

What are Racing Bulls’ priorities for Friday qualifying?

The team will work overnight to improve performance in low-speed corners, with Lawson targeting a top-10 qualifying position after the car lost pace relative to competitors in FP2.
09/24/2026
Yuki Tsunoda Reveals Biggest 2025 Mistake, How Red Bull Struggles Made Him a Better Driver

Tsunoda’s Unexpected Return to Racing Bulls

Yuki Tsunoda has enjoyed a surprise three-race cameo in 2026, slotting into Racing Bulls in place of Liam Lawson following Isack Hadjar’s injury. While it remains unknown whether Tsunoda will get a fourth outing this season, the Japanese racer has certainly made the most of his unexpected comeback.

Reflections on a Difficult 2025 Season at Red Bull

Tsunoda is Red Bull’s reserve driver this season, having lost his race seat at the end of last year. After being promoted to Red Bull from the third round of the 2025 season, Tsunoda struggled to make much of an impact and was resigned to playing a support role in Max Verstappen’s championship bid.

Speaking on the latest episode of official F1 podcast Beyond the Grid, Tsunoda explained just how tough 2025 was for him, after many years of relative success at Racing Bulls under their various guises, and exactly what he felt was his biggest mistake.

“One thing about myself I think, if I say [being] completely honest, I have a big enough ego to not change my driving style,” Tsunoda said. “I know what I’m doing in terms of driving. I believe in myself, so I never try to change my driving style to other drivers, even though the driver is competitive and fast.

“Obviously Max, it’s a different case, he’s a World Champion, he proves a lot of things and I still learn a lot of things from his driving. [It was] probably the first year out of any years since I started that I thought about changing driving style and tried to do something similar to Max.

“But in my perspective, if I just look at data, I didn’t really see a huge difference in terms of driving. What I think now is the biggest mistake in last year was to try to replicate the set-up what he’s doing.”

Tsunoda scored just seven times out of the 21 Grands Prix he contested with Red Bull, in a car that Verstappen took to second in the championship. The comparison between the two late in that season was stark, with Verstappen winning five of the final eight races, while Tsunoda in the same period recorded a P6, P7 and P10 finish.

That resulted in Tsunoda losing his seat, with Hadjar promoted from Racing Bulls to replace him.

“When I got told, I still remember, I didn’t feel that much of huge disappointment or devastated feeling. Obviously, still disappointed and pretty sad that I’m not driving next year. But not as I expected, I don’t know why.

“I fought really hard. I fought more than ever in that 2025 year, more than ever. And even if I look back now, I don’t have much regret. I gave everything and the outcome is something I didn’t like, obviously, but honestly, I just gave everything.”

Lessons Learned and a Strong Comeback

Tsunoda believes the struggles he went through in 2025 have made him a better driver, and he has impressed for Racing Bulls.

In a new generation of cars, which are very different from what he drove last year, Tsunoda has done well in the three races he has contested – especially in Zandvoort, where the Sprint format meant he only had one practice session to get used to all the changes.

“Going back to this Netherlands story, jumping into the car that I’ve never driven, Sprint Qualifying format, team is doing really well, you know, running P5 in Championship, [knowing] that you can’t really mess up for the race, you want to have points,” he added.

“Somehow, I was like really, [feeling] okay. I didn’t feel anything, that much, of pressure.”

Tsunoda finished 11th in Zandvoort, one place ahead of his team mate. But he then finished 10th at Monza to pick up a point for the team and help them in their fight against Alpine.

“The feeling I had, crossing the line, finishing P10, is definitely a bit more special P10 than certainly last three years of my career. Felt like really similar feeling towards first time I scored points in AlphaTauri [in my] first year.

“I felt very valuable, [more] than usual. I was so happy, team are happy, and the kind of moments that you can celebrate with the team – that we had a good race weekend – is something I didn’t have for a while. It was a very nice moment.”

Future Aspirations for 2027

As to Tsunoda’s future, he is still trying to secure a full-time drive for next season. But it is a tough ask, with very few open seats left available.

“My primary focus is F1. I’m trying to be back. That’s my target and I’m not thinking anything else. For myself, it’s fortunate that I got opportunities so I try and maximise it and hope I can be back in 2027.”

To listen to this week’s episode of Beyond The Grid, simply hit go on the audio player above or click here to listen via your preferred podcasting platform.

You can also check out a huge selection of previous episodes – spanning every decade of F1 – in our dedicated Beyond The Grid library.

You can also watch the podcast on the F1 YouTube channel.

09/17/2026
“I’m not enjoying life” – How Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull F1 stint “exhausted” him
Key Highlights
- Yuki Tsunoda described his 2025 Red Bull Racing season as the “toughest year” of his career, revealing severe mental exhaustion and a loss of enjoyment in Formula 1 while struggling to match Max Verstappen’s performance.
- Tsunoda lost his race seat after the summer break when Isack Hadjar was promoted and Arvid Lindblad debuted, but returned to Racing Bulls for the final three grands prix following Hadjar’s wrist injury and Liam Lawson’s temporary Red Bull call-up.
- The Japanese driver stated he emerged from the ordeal mentally stronger, declaring he now feels “very comfortable” under pressure and believes nothing in his future career will match the difficulty of his 2025 experience.
Tsunoda’s Brutal Red Bull Audition: A Midseason Promotion With No Preparation

Yuki Tsunoda’s 2025 Formula 1 campaign stands as a case study in the unforgiving nature of Red Bull Racing’s second seat. Promoted from Racing Bulls midseason to partner four-time world champion Max Verstappen, Tsunoda stepped into the RB21 without a single prior lap in the machinery—a disadvantage compounded by the team’s condensed development cycle. While Sergio Perez endured four seasons in the role and Liam Lawson lasted merely two grands prix, Tsunoda received a nearly full campaign to prove his worth. He finished 17th in the drivers’ championship, while Verstappen narrowly missed a fifth consecutive title by two points, underscoring the performance gap that has defined the Milton Keynes squad’s driver lineup dynamics for years.

Mental Toll: Exhaustion, Isolation, and a Loss of Passion

Speaking candidly on the Beyond The Grid podcast, Tsunoda laid bare the psychological erosion that accompanied his on-track struggles. The 26-year-old described a progressive breakdown of his usual coping mechanisms, where familiar reset rituals—good food, downtime at home—ceased to restore his energy as the season wore on.

“Definitely, 2025 was the toughest year in my career, and I learned heaps of things,” Tsunoda said. “I’m the kind of person, as soon as I had good food or whatever, I was able to reset myself between the race weeks. But I started to really struggle, towards the second half of the season especially; somehow when I came back to my house, I felt very exhausted.”

The exhaustion deepened into existential doubt. Tsunoda recounted a growing inability to recharge, a relentless schedule that offered no respite, and a creeping realization that the joy driving his career had evaporated.

“Normally I’m able to reset myself, get back this energy after I had something that I really like, if I do something that I really like. But I didn’t feel that energy, [it] never came back, and the races just kept going and going, going, going. I had so much up and down, and at some point I just recognised myself that I’m not really enjoying my life, I would say, like I’m not really enjoying the situation, not really enjoying driving Formula 1 probably as much as I was doing the first three years.”

Confronting the Root Cause: Distance from Home and Professional Support

Tsunoda traced the crisis to a factor he had overlooked since his formative European racing years: geographic and emotional separation from his support network in Japan.

“So, it was a very tough time, and outside of racing, try to solve this issue, right? What can I do to help that? And if I look back, is there something else other than eating food or this stuff? What makes me happy? And normally it’s friends, but mostly friends in Japan and… Okay, I really recognised, actually I’m away from Japan. That I really never thought about since probably my first year in F3.”

He sought professional intervention—psychological support, trainer guidance—but the punishing second-half calendar limited the space needed for recovery. “Okay, this is tough, something that I have to resolve myself. I got help quite a lot with psychology, trainer and a lot of things, but the race [schedule] was pretty busy in the second half, so it was a pretty tough time. But at the same time, the year gave me the opportunity to look myself through a lot more than any other years.”

Demotion, Reserve Role, and an Unexpected Return

The organizational fallout was swift. Ahead of the 2026 season, Red Bull promoted Isack Hadjar to the senior team and handed Arvid Lindblad his Formula 1 debut at Racing Bulls, relegating Tsunoda to a reserve driver role across both squads. Fortune intervened during the summer break when Hadjar sustained a wrist injury, prompting Lawson’s temporary elevation to Red Bull and creating a vacancy at Racing Bulls. Tsunoda seized the opportunity, contesting the final three grands prix starting at Zandvoort.

The reprieve revealed a transformed competitor. Tsunoda reported a newfound comfort under pressure, crediting the 2025 crucible for recalibrating his mental framework.

“Not sure I’m gonna have that much pressure and struggle, difficult times, as much as I had in 2025,” he added. “So everything comes so far with big challenges. Somehow I’m able to enjoy that kind of pressure moments and I feel very comfortable. Jumping into the car that I’ve never driven, spring qualifying format, VCARB team’s doing really well, running P5 in the teams’ championship – you can’t really mess up for the race, you want to have points. Somehow I was like, I really feel okay, I didn’t feel that much pressure.”

Asked whether any future challenge could match 2025’s intensity, his answer was definitive: “I don’t think so.”

Why This Matters

Tsunoda’s experience illuminates the human cost of Red Bull’s high-stakes driver development model, where the second seat has become a revolving door of talent unable to withstand the Verstappen benchmark. The team’s 2026 lineup shuffle—elevating Hadjar and Lindblad while retaining Tsunoda in a reserve capacity—signals a continued willingness to cycle through candidates rather than stabilize the pairing. For Tsunoda, the season represents a pivotal career inflection: a driver who confronted the limits of his resilience, sought structured psychological support, and emerged claiming a durable mental upgrade. His return to Racing Bulls for the season’s closing rounds, where he operated without the paralyzing pressure that defined his Red Bull stint, offers a tangible measure of that growth. The broader paddock will watch closely whether this psychological recalibration translates into sustained on-track performance in 2026, particularly if Tsunoda secures a full-time drive again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Yuki Tsunoda struggle so severely during his 2025 Red Bull Racing stint?

Tsunoda was promoted midseason without any prior experience driving the RB21, placing him at an immediate technical disadvantage against four-time champion Max Verstappen. The performance gap, combined with a relentless race schedule and isolation from his Japan-based support network, triggered profound mental exhaustion and a loss of enjoyment in racing.

How did Tsunoda return to a race seat after being demoted to reserve driver?

Isack Hadjar, who had been promoted to Red Bull Racing for 2026, suffered a wrist injury during the summer break. Liam Lawson filled in for Hadjar at Red Bull, vacating his Racing Bulls seat and allowing Tsunoda to compete in the final three grands prix starting at Zandvoort.

Does Tsunoda believe he is mentally stronger after the 2025 season?

Yes. Tsunoda explicitly stated that he now feels “very comfortable” under pressure, enjoys high-pressure moments, and does not expect any future career challenge to match the difficulty of his 2025 experience. He credited psychological support and self-reflection during the season for the transformation.
09/16/2026
Red Bull Insists “there is nothing wrong” With Isack Hadjar’s Recovery
Key Highlights
- Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies confirms Isack Hadjar’s wrist injury recovery is progressing normally, with a decision on his Baku return expected by Wednesday or Thursday.
- Liam Lawson will continue preparing for both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls roles until Hadjar’s fitness is confirmed, having scored 14 points in three grands prix.
- Hadjar consulted seven-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez, whose own rushed return from a broken humerus in 2020 cost him an entire season, reinforcing the team’s cautious approach.
Red Bull Prioritizes Long-Term Health Over Quick Return for Hadjar

Red Bull Racing team principal Laurent Mekies delivered a measured update on Isack Hadjar’s injury situation following the Spanish Grand Prix, confirming the French rookie’s recovery from a wrist injury sustained during the summer break is proceeding according to plan. Hadjar has missed the last three Formula 1 rounds, with Liam Lawson stepping into the Red Bull Racing seat while Yuki Tsunoda covered reserve duties at Racing Bulls. Speaking after Sunday’s race in Madrid, Mekies emphasized that the team has no intention of rushing the sophomore driver back before he reaches full fitness.

Marquez Consultation Reinforces Cautious Strategy

A pivotal factor in shaping Red Bull’s conservative timeline was Hadjar’s interaction with seven-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez. The Spanish motorcycle racing icon famously fractured his humerus in the 2020 Jerez season opener, attempted to compete in the following race, and subsequently missed the remainder of the campaign due to complications. That cautionary tale resonated with the 20-year-old Frenchman, convincing him that patience serves his long-term interests better than an accelerated return. Mekies confirmed the team has “learned that it’s fundamentally a normal time for the sort of injuries he has,” validating their existing medical approach.

Simulator Test Will Determine Baku Availability

Mekies outlined a clear decision-making framework for the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix. With “a bit more than a full week” before the Baku weekend, Hadjar will undergo evaluation before being placed on the simulator to experience “real-life constraints.” The team principal established a binary threshold: “If he feels close to 100%, we go for it; if he feels the recovery is not completed, we will stick on our approach to put his recovery first.” Mekies explicitly ruled out compromising Hadjar’s “long-term capacity to come back to 100%” for a premature race appearance, underscoring the organization’s investment in the driver’s development trajectory.

Lawson Navigates Dual Preparation Challenge

New Zealander Balances Two Team Workloads

While Hadjar focuses on rehabilitation, Liam Lawson faces a demanding logistical challenge. The New Zealander must maintain race readiness for both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls until a final decision on Hadjar’s status emerges. “It’s a lot of time at the factory and doing a lot of extra preparations,” Lawson admitted, adding that “this week off won’t be much of a week off.” The 22-year-old has impressed in his three substitute appearances, accumulating 14 championship points and climbing to ninth in the drivers’ standings—just 12 points adrift of Hadjar despite the Frenchman’s five-race head start.

Mental Preparation Complicated by Uncertainty

Lawson candidly described the psychological toll of preparing for two fundamentally different cars with no guarantee of which he will drive in Baku. “Coming to the end of the [Madrid] weekend now, I feel quite comfortable in this car. But just going forward, it’s the unknown all the way up to the race weekends,” he explained. The Red Bull driver estimated clarity might not arrive until “Wednesday or Thursday for Baku,” making it “quite tricky to mentally prepare for what car I’m going to drive.” Lawson noted the machinery differences are substantial: “Going back now will be quite tough. It’s completely different to drive.”

Why This Matters

The Hadjar-Lawson situation highlights Red Bull’s evolving driver management philosophy under new leadership. With Mekies and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley steering the program following Christian Horner’s reduced operational role, the team is demonstrating a willingness to protect young assets rather than exploit short-term performance gaps. Hadjar’s consultation with Marquez—facilitated by Red Bull’s cross-discipline motorsport network—shows an innovative approach to athlete welfare that transcends series boundaries. For Lawson, the extended audition strengthens his case for a full-time 2026 seat, whether at Red Bull Racing, Racing Bulls, or elsewhere. The Baku decision will also test Red Bull’s simulator correlation capabilities, as Hadjar’s virtual running will serve as the primary fitness benchmark in the absence of on-track running. Championship-wise, Lawson’s 14-point haul has injected unexpected competitiveness into the midfield battle, with the New Zealander now within striking distance of established runners including Nico Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will Red Bull decide if Isack Hadjar races in Baku?

According to team principal Laurent Mekies, the decision will likely come “probably all the way up to Wednesday or Thursday for Baku,” following a simulator evaluation after more than a week of recovery assessment.

How has Liam Lawson performed in his three races replacing Hadjar?

Lawson has scored 14 points across the three grands prix, placing him ninth in the drivers’ championship standings—just 12 points behind Hadjar despite missing the season’s first five rounds.

Why did Isack Hadjar consult Marc Marquez about his injury?

Hadjar sought advice from the seven-time MotoGP champion because Marquez famously rushed back from a broken humerus in 2020, aggravated the injury, and missed the rest of that season—a cautionary example that reinforced Red Bull’s patient approach to the Frenchman’s wrist recovery.
09/15/2026
Liam Lawson assesses Red Bull outings: ‘Overall it’s been a strong three weekends’

Liam Lawson Reflects on Strong Red Bull Return After Spanish Grand Prix Points Finish

Liam Lawson believes “overall it’s been a strong three weekends” with Red Bull since replacing the injured Isack Hadjar midway through the 2025 Formula 1 season. The New Zealander made his third start for the senior team at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, securing his best result since swapping his Racing Bulls machinery by finishing sixth.

Overtaking Challenge Defines Madrid Debut

Lawson was one of the few drivers to execute an overtake on the Madring street circuit, before a late pit stop secured his second points finish with Red Bull—following a seventh-place result in the Netherlands. Speaking to F1 TV about the challenges of Formula 1’s newest venue, Lawson said:

“Hard to overtake is really the biggest thing. We started on the hard [tyre] as well and with the Virtual Safety Car, it didn’t really help us,”

He elaborated on a key moment during the race:

“Made quite a risky pass on Franco [Colapinto] earlier on and felt like it was going to be really important for our race but then the VSC came out and they boxed anyway, so it didn’t really make a difference.

Was quite fun to do but this track is very difficult to pull it off [an overtake]. I didn’t nearly make the corner and you do track limits you have to give the place back. Tough race.”

Contrast with Early Season Struggles

Lawson’s current performances with Red Bull stand in stark contrast to the start of the 2025 season, where he competed in just two races before being demoted back to Racing Bulls. Prior to his temporary move back to the senior team, Lawson had scored points in eight out of 11 races this season—form that earned him another call-up.

Although Hadjar was present in the Madrid paddock over the weekend, the Frenchman’s return from a wrist injury sustained over the summer break remains unknown, with Baku the next race in two weeks.

Lawson Proud of Maximising Opportunities

When asked if he was proud of his performances with Red Bull so far, Lawson responded:

“I think so,”

He expanded on his approach:

“I’ve just tried to maximise each weekend. Honestly, a lot of things coming into it were just driver specific that I knew were going to be challenging about this car, and just really tried to prepare as much as I could but it’s been a very busy few weeks to be honest.

Probably this coming week will be busy as well to be honest, I’ll probably be doing prep for both cars again. It’s just been a busy time trying to put everything together, but it’s been good.

I would have loved to have scored in Monza as well, but I think overall it’s been a strong three weekends.”

09/14/2026
Arvid Lindblad Insists “I’m allowed to make mistakes” After Madring F1 Crash

Arvid Lindblad Defends Right to Make Mistakes After Spanish GP Crash, Still Qualifies 10th

Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad remained unapologetic after crashing out of FP2 at the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, a mistake that forced a chassis change and limited his final practice running to just seven laps. Despite the setback, the Anglo-Swede recovered to qualify 10th, matching interim team-mate Yuki Tsunoda in Q1 before beating him by 0.9 seconds in Q2 to secure a Q3 berth.

Crash Cost Valuable Track Time but Not Confidence

Lindblad lost control of the VCARB 03 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya’s Turn 13 left-hander, damaging the car’s right-hand side and ending his Friday programme early. The team elected to change the chassis, leaving the fourth-youngest driver in F1 history with minimal preparation before qualifying.

Asked if the incident dented his confidence, Lindblad explained: “The bigger thing was just that I didn’t drive in FP3, you know? If I had done all of FP3, I don’t think it really would have hurt me too much. But the reality was, I had the crash and then I only did two [flying] laps in FP3 and I didn’t really get a chance to get comfortable again. And that was the thing that hurt me.”

He added: “The reality is we missed – I don’t want to say ‘two sessions of learning’, but we weren’t comfortable making a change after FP2 because of the crash. Then we didn’t drive properly in FP3, so we didn’t want to make a change. So we basically only used FP1 for the set-up. I have the same set-up as what we decided after FP1. I definitely think that if I hadn’t had that crash yesterday, the trajectory to quali would have been very different and I would have been a lot happier.”

Rookie Accepts Errors as Part of Development Curve

Lindblad refuses to dwell on the shunt, framing it as an inevitable consequence of pushing to the limit. “It is what it is, it’s something to learn from,” he said. “I’m not going to beat myself up for crashing, because it’s something that’s inevitable. I’ve been so on the limit this year, I’ve been so fast. It’s my 10th Q3 of the season [excluding sprints]. I’m allowed to make mistakes. I’m going to learn from it.”

His consistency underscores that perspective. Lindblad has yet to retire from a grand prix (a clutch failure prevented his Montreal start), has scored points in seven of the last eight rounds, is on a nine-race Q3 streak, and has not been outqualified by a team-mate since the Silverstone sprint event.

Realistic Race Expectations After Surprise FP2 Pace

The 17-year-old topped the timesheets in FP2 with fourth place before his crash, but he downplayed that performance as a true indicator of race pace. “I wasn’t going to be P4 today,” he chuckled. “I mean, I can’t go one second quicker. The top teams obviously made a step. The reality is maybe our guys just did a better job with the starting set-up, so we started closer. So this is where we deserve to be. The reality is yesterday was something special. I think I was ahead of the curve, the team was also ahead of the curve. But there’s no hiding the fact that we’re not P4. So the reality is tomorrow we’re going to try to do the best we can. But P9, unless someone crashes, it’s the best that’s possible.”

Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls. Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images

09/12/2026
“I f***ed up quite a lot”: How Yuki Tsunoda Discovered F1 2026 Complexity at Monza

Tsunoda Faces Steep Learning Curve With 2026 F1 Machinery at Spanish Grand Prix

Yuki Tsunoda returns to Racing Bulls for a third Formula 1 appearance this season at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, continuing his stand-in role for Liam Lawson. Lawson has moved to Red Bull Racing to replace the injured Isack Hadjar, giving Tsunoda another opportunity to adapt to the radically different 2026 regulations.

Mixed Results in First Two Outings

Tsunoda’s baptism with the new generation of cars began at the Dutch Grand Prix, where he finished just outside the points but ahead of teammate Arvid Lindblad. However, the Italian Grand Prix proved far more challenging. He struggled for pace relative to Lindblad throughout practice and qualifying, then lined up in the wrong grid slot during the race restart. A 10th-place finish remains provisional pending a protest from Audi, which argues Tsunoda should have been penalised for forcing an additional formation lap.

Complex Energy Management Demands Precision

The 2026 cars present a steep operational challenge. With a near 50:50 power split between the electrical motor and internal combustion engine, drivers must adopt an often counter-intuitive style that does not always prioritise maximum cornering speed. Active aerodynamics and machine-learning algorithms governing electrical deployment require precise throttle application rather than improvisation.

Monza compounded these difficulties. Its layout offers minimal energy harvesting opportunities, meaning a competitive lap demanded both a slipstream and mastery of limited electrical power deployment.

Tsunoda Details Operational Struggles

Speaking in Madrid, Tsunoda outlined the specific difficulties he encountered at Monza.

“I tended to forget quite a lot SM [Straightline Mode] last week, especially the Turn 8 to Turn 10,” he explained in Madrid.

“There’s been more activation points than last year. And also, it’s a lot of work I have to do in the out lap, not to use the energy.

“But obviously, if you don’t use the energy, the tyres are going to be cold, so you want to be sometimes aggressive in order where you [need] to be.

“You want to start the lap with 100% battery, but this sacrifice in places, where to do it, where to not, was very complicated – and something that I fucked up quite a lot in qualifying. And the consequence was huge.”

He also highlighted the increased reliance on steering wheel displays and throttle sensitivity.

“It’s like you have to [look] on the steering monitor more,” said Tsunoda.

“Somehow, you have to also be slightly more sensitive on throttle, especially in the out-lap. It is weird, especially in the out-lap, also in qualifying, but I think this is part of the regulation or sport, F1 right now, and you’ve got to deal with it.

“Somehow, I was underestimating the amount of damage or penalty you’ll get if you don’t do everything right, and I definitely experienced it in qualifying.”

Verstappen Critique Dismissed

Max Verstappen recently suggested that the ability of drivers like Lawson and Tsunoda to step into the new cars and be immediately competitive indicates fundamental flaws in the regulations, stating the cars are “numb to your driver inputs.” Tsunoda declined to engage with the assessment.

“It’s because these cars are numb to your driver inputs,” he said.

“I’m not really taking anything from his comments,” responded Tsunoda when this was put to him.

“And, you know, compare to my results, what I showed in two races, it’s a very individual thing.

“I think I’ve done a good job. And that’s it.”

As the Madrid weekend unfolds, Tsunoda will aim to translate his growing understanding of the 2026 machinery into a cleaner, more competitive showing on a circuit that offers more conventional energy management cycles than Monza.

09/11/2026
Yuki Tsunoda Responds to Max Verstappen’s F1 2026 Claim

Yuki Tsunoda has dismissed Max Verstappen’s suggestion that recent driver performances prove the 2026 Formula 1 regulations diminish the importance of driver skill. The Japanese driver, currently standing in for the injured Isack Hadjar at Racing Bulls, delivered strong results in his two race starts at Zandvoort and Monza.

Tsunoda Unfazed by Verstappen’s Critique of 2026 Rules

Tsunoda and Verstappen were teammates at Red Bull Racing during the 2025 season. While Verstappen secured second place in the drivers’ championship, Tsunoda finished 17th and was replaced by Isack Hadjar for 2026. After moving into a reserve role, Tsunoda returned to race action for sister team Racing Bulls following a wrist injury sustained by Hadjar over the summer break. Liam Lawson, who also struggled alongside Verstappen in 2025, temporarily filled Hadjar’s Red Bull seat.

Both replacement drivers impressed. Lawson finished seventh at Zandvoort, while Tsunoda scored a championship point at Monza after narrowly missing out in the Netherlands. Speaking in Madrid ahead of this weekend’s race, Tsunoda expressed satisfaction with his performance and indifference to Verstappen’s theory.

“It’s his comments, so… I don’t know. I really just read it, to be honest. That’s it.

“It’s a different car, for sure. Obviously, energy deployments and stuff is different. It’s obviously part of things that you can’t really push flat out in some corners. Something I experienced in Monza.

“But, yeah, that’s it. I’m not really taking anything from his comments and compare to my results, what I showed in two races, it’s a very individual thing, I think. So, I think I’ve done a good job and that’s it.”

Verstappen Argues New Regulations Create “Choke Hold” on Drivers

Verstappen has been a consistent critic of the 2026 technical regulations, famously describing them in pre-season testing as “Formula E on steroids” due to the heavy reliance on energy management. His concerns appear validated by several races this season where electrical deployment strategies overshadowed pure driving talent.

Notable examples include Lando Norris being ‘forced’ into overtaking Lewis Hamilton at Suzuka due to energy deployment modes, and McLaren highlighting the “self-learning elements” of the power unit impacting racing at Spa-Francorchamps. These incidents prompted Verstappen to cite Lawson and Tsunoda’s immediate competitiveness as further evidence of a fundamental shift in the sport.

“In the history of the sport, normally the driver that is the most committed, the latest on the brakes, earlier on throttle, committing in the high-speed [corners], they get rewarded, because you just gain that time in the corner.

“But now you’re constantly thinking about, ‘In this corner I might have to hold in a bit. Go later on throttle. Or brake earlier. Or lift off. And then I have more top speed.’ Stuff like that. It’s so unnatural. It’s so not how it should be.

“No disrespect, and I hope no one picks up on this, but look at Yuki. He jumps in the car. Never driven the car before. Immediately competitive. Liam jumps from the Racing Bulls to the Red Bull – immediately competitive. It’s because these cars are numb to your driver inputs.

“Of course, yes, you still have to do a good lap and you still have to commit, the fastest drivers will always come out on top, but it’s really, really limited, like a choke hold or something. You’re held back.”

Tsunoda will continue in the Racing Bulls seat for the Madrid Grand Prix as Hadjar recovers, offering another opportunity to test his form against Verstappen’s hypothesis.

09/10/2026
Audi to Appeal Yuki Tsunoda’s Italian GP Result

The Audi Formula 1 team will proceed with its appeal against the stewards’ decision not to penalize Yuki Tsunoda for causing an extra formation lap at the Italian Grand Prix, Motorsport.com understands.

Tsunoda’s Grid Alignment Triggers Aborted Start

The incident occurred at the start of the Monza race when race director Rui Marques aborted the initial formation lap. Marques was not comfortable with the way the Japanese driver lined up in his grid box, angled towards the pit wall. The FIA race stewards reviewed the incident after the race but decided against issuing the customary stop-and-go penalty, which would have been converted into a 30-second time penalty.

Regulation Article B5.9.4 Central to Dispute

The appeal hinges on Article B5.9.4 of the F1 2026 sporting regulations, which states:

“any driver who caused an extra formation lap, and is then able to start the, or any subsequent, extra formation lap must enter the pitlane at the end of the lap and must start… from the end of the pitlane.”

Tsunoda’s Racing Bulls team argued that its driver was not out of his grid slot and did not impact his competitors. Race director Marques also explained that he acted out of an abundance of caution. Consequently, the team had not been notified by race control that Tsunoda was the cause of the extra formation lap, so it had no reason to instruct its driver to start from the pit exit.

Stewards’ Interpretation and Audi’s Counter-Argument

The stewards agreed with Racing Bulls’ interpretation of the rules. However, Audi promptly lodged an intention to appeal. The German manufacturer was directly affected by the non-penalty, as Gabriel Bortoleto finished 11th—one position behind Tsunoda—and would be promoted into a points-paying position if the verdict is overturned.

By notifying the FIA of its intention to appeal, Audi secured a 96-hour window to study the rulebook, build a case, and decide whether to proceed. That window closes on Thursday night, and sources have now confirmed that Audi will follow through with the appeal procedure.

Seeking Clarity for Future Precedent

It is understood that Audi views the rulebook as unambiguous regarding penalties for causing an extra formation lap. The team argues that because the race director felt Tsunoda’s start position was sufficient reason to abort the start, Tsunoda should have been required to start from the pitlane regardless of the team’s notification status.

Whether or not the appeal succeeds in overturning the decision, Audi is keen to obtain formal clarification from the race stewards to establish a clear precedent for future occasions. The FIA has yet to set a date for the appeal hearing.

09/10/2026