Twice as nice: Liam Lawson on Red Bull dual-prep and Monza Sprint relief

Credit: Formula One

Liam Lawson arrives at Monza facing another high-pressure opportunity in Red Bull Racing colours, extending his run in the primary car as Isack Hadjar continues his recovery.

Following a whirlwind Sprint weekend at Zandvoort—where he made his initial substitute appearance for the senior team—the New Zealander finds himself retained for a second consecutive Grand Prix. While stepping into the main garage under fluid circumstances brings immense pressure, Lawson’s focus remains locked on maximizing every lap on track.

Reflecting on the period leading up to Monza, Lawson outlined the mindset required when building on his previous outing in the Netherlands:

"Just try and make the most of it. Again, I think, yeah, obviously, it's an interesting position for me to be in. And Zandvoort was, yeah, I mean, being a Sprint weekend is obviously quite stressful at times, but overall it was a good weekend. And at least now I've had that, you know, it should be a bit easier to adjust. We also have three practice sessions here. It's a much more normal weekend. So, yeah, it's another good opportunity."

Unlike the rapid, single-session preparation of the Sprint format at Zandvoort, the traditional weekend structure at Monza provides crucial breathing room. Having full practice sessions allows Lawson to establish a baseline and fine-tune the setup without the immediate jeopardy of a Sprint qualifying session hanging over Friday afternoon.

However, confirmation of his second consecutive appearance came relatively late. The team held off on a final decision until Wednesday to give Hadjar every possible chance to recover, leaving Lawson in a state of dual operational readiness across both camps:

"Wednesday. So, for the last week, it's been sort of just waiting to see. Obviously, trying to give Isack the best chance as well for his recovery. But, yeah, I think in the back of my mind, I knew that obviously there was still a chance. But, obviously, only being on Wednesday, it felt quite late, but we had enough time to still do a simulator session and normal prep for the weekend."

Preparing for an F1 weekend is demanding under standard conditions, but preparing for two distinct machinery concepts simultaneously elevates the technical challenge. Until Wednesday, Lawson was actively working alongside engineering teams from both Red Bull and Racing Bulls to ensure a seamless transition regardless of the final call:

"Both, honestly. Been doing both, just to try and stay ready for both. Obviously, both teams, both cars to know. So, yeah, they're very different to drive, so it's not the easiest thing going between the two, even just in the simulator. But, yeah, that's been, honestly, that's been the biggest challenge. But it's nice to finally have an answer, from Wednesday, to know that I can basically just put all my focus onto this car."

Adapting to the dynamic traits of the senior car requires significant sensory re-calibration. Despite sharing a Honda power unit with its sister team, the underlying aerodynamic identity, suspension geometry, and balance dynamics demand an entirely different driving approach. Lawson highlighted the stark contrast felt behind the wheel when pushing the package to its limits:

"Everywhere. Other than the power unit, obviously, they're very different to drive in terms of the... I mean, the main thing, obviously, with the Red Bull, the high-speed grip is probably the most impressive just coming from my car. But the way they drive, the balance of the car is very, very different. So, yeah, without saying too much, it is a very different car to drive. Honestly, the feedback I get through the steering, everything, the way it feels, the way it moves around, it's very different."

With the uncertainty now behind him and three practice sessions ahead, Lawson enters the Temple of Speed with clarity. The focus shifts entirely to capitalizing on the car's high-speed characteristics and translating this second consecutive opportunity into a clean, competitive result.