Liam Lawson to Partner Max Verstappen at Monza

Liam Lawson will stay in the Red Bull hot seat for Monza, with the team confirming the New Zealander will again partner Max Verstappen at the Italian Grand Prix as Isack Hadjar continues his recovery from a wrist injury.

Lawson impressed on his return to the main team in Zandvoort, hustling the RB22 into seventh place and banking solid points despite having only a handful of sessions to understand the car. It was a sharp, composed drive that clearly resonated in Milton Keynes. He now gets another crack at it on one of Formula 1’s most unforgiving stages.

Red Bull’s statement was clear: Hadjar is progressing well after the injury he suffered over the summer break, but the team will not rush him back. They stressed they are monitoring his rehabilitation closely and will not take “unnecessary risks” with his return, while wishing the Frenchman a speedy recovery. For now, the door stays open for Lawson.

The 22-year-old admitted Zandvoort had tested him. The switch back into the Red Bull, the compressed preparation time, the demands of a front-running car – it all hit at once. Yet he walked away encouraged.

“It’s been a good weekend,” he said after the race. “It was good to extract everything out of Quali. It’s been tough to try and get my head around this car in a short space of time, but I’ve enjoyed it.”

Now he takes that momentum to Monza, where the margins are brutal and the slipstream games can define an entire weekend. One strong qualifying lap can transform a narrative. One mistake can wreck it.

While Lawson steps up again at Red Bull, the domino effect continues down the energy drink ladder. Yuki Tsunoda will once more take Lawson’s usual seat at Racing Bulls, with the team confirming on social media that the Japanese driver will race for them at the Italian Grand Prix.

Tsunoda, who lost his full-time grid spot at the end of 2025, made his temporary return at the Dutch Grand Prix and came within touching distance of points, finishing 11th. It was a reminder of his raw speed and racecraft, sharpened by years in the midfield trenches.

“I definitely enjoyed it overall, and yeah, I think I gave it 100%, as much as I can,” the 26-year-old reflected after Zandvoort. “I think I did pretty okay.”

Monza gives him another chance to turn “pretty okay” into something more tangible.

There is another twist to Red Bull’s weekend plan. Ayumu Iwasa will take the wheel of Verstappen’s car in Free Practice 1 on Friday, adding a further layer of intrigue to the team’s programme at Monza. The Japanese driver, part of the wider Red Bull stable, steps into one of the most scrutinised cockpits in the sport, even if only for a single session.

So the picture for Italy is set. Lawson alongside Verstappen in the senior team. Tsunoda back in a Racing Bulls machine. Iwasa sampling Verstappen’s RB in FP1. Hadjar watching on, healing, and waiting.

On a circuit that has defined careers and exposed weaknesses for generations, Red Bull’s talent pool is about to be tested at 350 km/h.