Liam Lawson on Rebuilding His F1 Career and Looking Ahead to 2026

Liam Lawson has secured his place on the Formula 1 grid for 2026, capping off a season he describes as intense but rewarding. The New Zealander points to key car developments introduced around the Austrian Grand Prix as the turning point that unlocked greater consistency, leading to seven points finishes and a strong second half of the year that solidified his progress.

Why it matters:

For a driver who entered the season under pressure to prove his worth, Lawson's confirmation represents a successful career rebuild. His trajectory from a substitute role to a confirmed race seat underscores the importance of perseverance and tangible performance improvement in the highly competitive driver market.

The details:

• Lawson received the final confirmation of his 2026 seat directly from Team Principal Alan Permane, a moment he highlights as particularly meaningful.
• He cites specific car changes around the mid-season Austrian Grand Prix as critical to finding a more consistent performance window.
• The satisfaction of delivering points when it mattered most has been balanced with a clear focus on continuous improvement for the future.

The big picture:

With the current generation of cars concluding this season, Lawson reflects on what he'll miss most about their driving characteristics while sharing his early impressions of the vastly different 2026 machinery. Despite the impending regulatory shift, he emphasizes that the team's immediate priority remains finishing the current season as strongly as possible.

What's next:

Away from the track, Lawson has become one of New Zealand's highest-scoring F1 drivers, a point of pride amplified by strong support from home fans. He's looking forward to off-season family time and even playfully mentions the prospect of a dirt track race with fellow Kiwi star Shane van Gisbergen. With his future secured, his focus can now fully shift to preparation for the new era of F1 in 2026.