Laurent Mekies Applauds Liam Lawson’s Impressive Red Bull Performance in Madrid

Red Bull's Team Principal Laurent Mekies had no shortage of compliments for Liam Lawson following the Spanish Grand Prix. Standing in for the injured Isack Hadjar over the past three race weekends, Lawson has made a compelling case for himself.

The New Zealander’s return to Red Bull was a chance to rewrite his story, after a less than stellar two-race stint in early 2025. This time around, Lawson has shown considerable growth, kicking off with a seventh place in Zandvoort, followed by a commendable sixth in Madrid.

Mekies acknowledged the challenges Lawson faced, noting the difficulty of adapting to a new team and car. "He's done a very good job," Mekies remarked. "Taking important points with a P6 today, and similar efforts in Zandvoort, he’s met our expectations."

In Monza, Lawson's performance was hindered by an incident with Nico Hulkenberg that damaged his front wing. Despite this setback, his results in Zandvoort and Madrid have been a marked improvement, especially when compared to his initial Red Bull outings in 2025, where he struggled to break into the top 20.

Lawson’s time back with Red Bull has seen him qualify eighth in two penalty-free weekends, though a grid drop at Monza due to new power unit components complicated his race there. Still, his contributions have bolstered Red Bull’s points tally, and he's managed to remain competitive alongside Max Verstappen, despite the less-than-ideal timing of a sprint weekend debut.

Mekies has observed Lawson’s growth as a driver, highlighting his calm and focused demeanor. "He's very calm in the car, focused on the essentials," Mekies said. "With more time, he could reach another level of finesse, but his approach is very strong."

Whether Lawson will continue with Red Bull depends on Hadjar’s recovery from a wrist injury. For now, Lawson’s performance has certainly given the team something to think about.