Liam Lawson navigated the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix to secure a sixth-place finish for Red Bull behind race winner Kimi Antonelli.
The New Zealander capped his third consecutive substitute appearance by claiming points on the challenging Madring street circuit. Lawson executed a rare overtake on Franco Colapinto while capitalising on a frustrating afternoon for Oscar Piastri and a compromised Ferrari strategy behind him.
Strategy Challenges In Madrid
Starting on the hard tyre, Lawson felt the race flow worked against his early momentum.
“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,” Lawson told Formula1.com.
Despite missing out on points in Monza, the substitute driver has consistently extracted pace from the RB22. The 24-year-old previously secured a seventh-place finish in the Netherlands.
He told 1News that his intent was always to “get the most out” of the machinery provided following his early 2025 demotion.
Speaking to Auto Action regarding his sudden elevation, Lawson noted that Red Bull and Racing Bulls are “just completely different teams, sort of regardless of the name behind it,” highlighting the operational shift.
Baku Driver Decision Looms
Isack Hadjar attended the Madrid paddock, but his recovery timeline from a summer wrist injury remains unconfirmed. Lawson’s consistent scoring forces a definitive choice regarding the second seat alongside Max Verstappen.
Red Bull management must now finalise their driver lineup before the paddock reconvenes at the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
