Red Bull’s last‑minute driver swap at the Dutch Grand Prix sent shock waves through the paddock as Liam Lawson stepped onto the Zandvoort grid in the place of Isack Hadjar, who withdrew with a wrist fracture suffered before the weekend began.
Red Bull pulls from its network
The Milton Keynes outfit tapped Liam Lawson, the 2024 champion of the FIA Formula 3 Championship and a driver on the Red Bull Junior Team. Lawson had previously raced with sister outfit Racing Bulls in the 2025 season, giving him intimate experience with the 2026‑specification R&B‑design cars. His seamless integration was based on the principle that a competent, current‑season driver presents a “clear advantage” over a reserve who has had limited recent exposure, according to Sky Sports analyst Naomi Schiff.
At Racing Bulls, reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda was promoted to the front row behind rookie Arvid Lindblad to deputise for the absent driver. Tsunoda’s elevation added a new dimension to the team’s evolving lineup ahead of the rest of the season.
Performance and implications
Liam Lawson finished the circuit in seventh place, recording six points for Red Bull and showing the team’s “strength and depth” as highlighted by former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard on the Up To Speed podcast. Schiff noted that only teams with a similar structure, such as Ferrari, could successfully call on a like‑situated driver like Oliver Bearman, while Mercedes would more likely fallback on Fred Vesti, who travels with them to most events.
The baton passing at Zandvoort underscores how shared ownership structures can be leveraged for competitive advantage. Whether Isack Hadjar will return for the Italian Grand Prix remains unconfirmed, and the dynamics of driver allocation will remain a point of interest until the season’s final races.”
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