Liam Lawson Cites Emotional Control as Key Lesson After 'Frustrating' 2025 Season
After a turbulent 2025 season marked by a demotion, Liam Lawson's biggest lesson was managing frustration, a skill he'll carry into his 2026 campaign with Racing Bulls.
Liam Lawson describes his 2025 rookie season as a "rollercoaster" where the biggest lesson was managing "extremely frustrating" moments without getting "caught up in emotion." After a surprise demotion from Red Bull to Racing Bulls, the New Zealander learned to navigate the highs and lows of a long F1 season. This newfound mental fortitude will be key as he secures his future with the team for 2026.
Why it matters:
Lawson's ability to bounce back from a public demotion is a critical test of his mental resilience, a non-negotiable trait for any driver aspiring to a top team like Red Bull. Mastering emotional control is crucial for consistency in F1, where a single mistake can derail a weekend, as he experienced in Qatar. His secured 2026 seat shows the team still sees potential, but his growth will depend on converting this mental lesson into on-track results.
The details:
- The Demotion: Lawson started 2025 at Red Bull but was swapped with Yuki Tsunoda after just two races, returning to the sister team.
- Performance Recovery: He initially struggled to adapt at Racing Bulls but eventually matched his teammate, Isack Hadjar, scoring 38 points over 22 races.
- Season Highlight: His best result was a fifth-place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
- The Qatar Example: Lawson cited the Qatar GP as a prime example of his frustration, where a strong weekend was undone by a "very small mistake" in the race, costing him a potential strong result.
- Future Secured: His performances earned him a contract for 2026 with Racing Bulls, where he'll compete under the new power unit regulations.
What's next:
Lawson will enter the 2026 season with a clear goal: translate his hard-earned mental composure into consistent, high-level performances. The new power unit regulations represent a fresh start for all teams, offering Lawson and Racing Bulls an opportunity to make a significant step up the grid. He will aim to establish himself as the clear team leader and push for a potential promotion back to Red Bull, proving that his 2025 struggles were a stepping stone, not a setback.