Overview

• Liam Lawson qualified third and finished fifth in Baku for his best Formula 1 result of the season.
• Lawson said he has not heard from Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko, noting the calls usually come after poor races.
• He remains unsigned for 2026, with seven race weekends left as Red Bull targets end-of-October announcements for both teams.
• Rookie team‑mate Isack Hadjar has outperformed Lawson, including a podium at Zandvoort, and is widely reported as a leading 2026 candidate alongside Max Verstappen.
• Lawson attributed his recent upswing to comfort-focused setup changes on the VCARB-02 and credited Laurent Mekies for support during his readjustment.