Liam Lawson’s 2025 campaign was far from straightforward. He started the year as Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull, but lasted just two rounds before being moved back to Racing Bulls, where he eventually found his footing.
Lawson had landed the Red Bull seat after they parted ways with Sergio Perez following a poor 2024 season. But his time alongside Verstappen was short-lived, as he struggled to adapt to the RB21 and didn’t meet expectations in the early races.
After qualifying last for both the Sprint and Grand Prix in China, Red Bull made the decision to swap him with Yuki Tsunoda, sending Lawson back to Racing Bulls. Speaking on F1’s Beyond The Grid podcast, Lawson explained that he felt like he was constantly playing “catch-up” after having to adapt to another new car.
Racing Bulls started noticing real improvement from Lawson around the Austrian Grand Prix, following changes made to his front suspension. From round 11 at Spielberg – where he finished sixth – through the end of the year, Lawson scored 34 of his 38 total points.
Liam Lawson’s confidence grew fighting Max Verstappen in the 2025 Hungarian GP
Honda’s pulse producer engineer Hiroyuki Nakagawa believes the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix marked a turning point for Liam Lawson. Having worked with Lawson following his return to Racing Bulls, Nakagawa noted that the driver’s data from Budapest reflected a noticeable change in approach.
During their battle in Hungary, Nakagawa observed clear signs of growing confidence in Lawson’s data. Although Verstappen had started one spot ahead in P8, Lawson managed to finish just over three seconds clear of him by the end of the race.
Nakagawa told Autosport Web: “I have so many unforgettable memories from my four years working there. But, this year, I would say the Hungarian Grand Prix.
“When I was working with Liam, I felt that this race was a turning point for him. In that race, Liam was battling Max for quite a long time. But looking at the data, I could see that something had woken up and a switch had been flipped.
“I think he gained confidence by finishing in eighth place without giving up his position. And even in the second half of the season he had a few good runs after that, such as in Baku, and the data from that year confirmed how much he had grown as a driver.”
Liam Lawson kept Max Verstappen behind for 17 laps at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix
Lawson got the better start off the grid in Budapest, taking an early lead over Verstappen. But by lap two, the Dutchman reclaimed eighth place, braking later into the chicane at Turn 6 after getting a stronger exit from Turn 5.
Despite losing position, Lawson stayed close behind Verstappen until Red Bull opted to pit their driver on lap 17, looking to break him free from the traffic building behind Fernando Alonso. But that early stop ended up working against them.
Verstappen had to make a second stop on lap 48, while Racing Bulls kept Lawson out until lap 40 for his only stop of the race. That strategy helped Lawson move ahead when things settled and he managed to hold onto eighth place.
While Verstappen was quicker in clear air and did manage to close in after his second stop, he couldn’t find a way past. Lawson then stretched his advantage slightly again before finishing just over three seconds ahead, something that caught Nakagawa’s attention as well.
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