Lawson was given the biggest test of his career by Red Bull.

Liam Lawson’s long-awaited return to the cockpit of an F1 car will take place this weekend as he returns to the seat of the RB at the US Grand Prix.

For the second time in his short F1 career, the New Zealander replaced Daniel Ricciardo, but unlike his previous call-up due to driver injury, Lawson’s second call-up was a direct performance-based change. It will be.

The 22-year-old has been forced to sit out most of the campaign despite being publicly promised by team advisor Helmut Marko to remain full-time until 2025. .

But his early arrival on the grid shows Red Bull have broader goals in mind than simply filling a seat for the junior team.

Lawson’s immediate impact on F1

Lawson made his F1 debut at Zandvoort last year and immediately attracted attention. He had a strong weekend in treacherous conditions after being allocated just one practice session to build up his speed.

He continued to impress in subsequent rounds, scoring points in Singapore, which was designated as perhaps the most difficult weekend due to the mental and physical strength required.

Red Bull ultimately opted to keep him out this season in favor of a lineup with sister team Yuki Tsunoda and Ricciardo, but Lawson’s strong influence meant he was destined to return. .

Despite being away from the competitive F1 environment for 12 months and simply watching from the sidelines while doing simulator and test work, Lawson steps into the race seat this weekend in Austin, Texas At that time, there would be little excuse.

He will be expected to repeat or exceed the impressive impression he made last year.

As a result of his five races and strong showing last year, Lawson will no longer be considered a traditional rookie and will likely receive just as much scrutiny as his predecessor.

red bull factor

The simple assessment behind Red Bull’s decision to make an immediate change to their sister team’s line-up is that it is to provide RB with momentum into the Constructors’ Championship as Haas languish in sixth place in the standings. .

However, Sergio Perez’s decline in form at Red Bull, a consistent feature of the Mexican in recent years, opens the possibility of a replacement being appointed alongside Max Verstappen next season.

Perez stayed on for next season, with an option for 2026, but his performances have led to suggestions that he could be sacked at the end of the year as Red Bull inch away from the form they need to compete for the constructors’ championship. caused it.

Red Bull does not consider Ricciardo to be a viable option and is currently naming juniors Tsunoda and Lawson as potential candidates.

The duo could be seen as part of an audition for Red Bull’s front-runner spot if the top team chooses to make a change ahead of the sport’s new era with new technical regulations in 2026.

It will be a huge leap forward for Lawson to be recognized driving for a strong championship-winning team after just a few months of not racing at all on the grid.

But if Red Bull is looking to make a change and Lawson holds his ground against Tsunoda – as they did when they ran five races together last year – Tsunoda will soon become a realistic candidate for re-promotion. It will be.

Lawson has little time to make an impression.

Lawson has so far avoided the merciless ax that so often pervades the Red Bull junior program.

While many young drivers have lost Red Bull’s support during their careers, Lawson’s influence has seen him rise to F1 and be considered as a top candidate.

Only a very small number of Red Bull-backed drivers end up falling through.

But despite his current luxurious position, things could change in a moment for Lawson, who has talent such as Isaac Hajar and Arvid Lindblad on the verge of promotion to F1.

Red Bull is aware of F1’s current trend towards focusing on younger drivers, with Kimi Antonelli, Jack Doohan and Oliver Bearman being examples, and was a further factor in the decision to dump Ricciardo for Lawson. There is a possibility.

The next generation of Red Bull graduates, like Lawson until recently, are patiently waiting for their chance to make a good impression.

If Lawson doesn’t do enough to show he’s ready to drive for Red Bull, he could be quickly passed over by the next big name looking to make his mark in the sport.