Lawson details 'biggest challenge' of Red Bull switch: Two cars 'different everywhere'

Just days before stepping into the RB21 at Zandvoort, Liam Lawson still didn't know which car he would be driving. The confirmation call came on Wednesday, later than he hoped, but still in time for a simulator session and normal preparation. The result was P7 and his first points — a convincing debut for a driver who only learned which car he would drive days earlier. But for Lawson, the real challenge isn't about getting used to a new car. It's about constantly switching between two completely different cars — a Red Bull and a Racing Bulls — in the same season. He describes preparing for both as the 'biggest challenge' of switching seats. 'They're different everywhere, other than the power unit,' Lawson shared. 'The high-speed grip of the Red Bull is the most impressive thing. The balance of the car is very different. It's a very different car to drive, including the feedback through the steering and the way it moves around.' Notably, this difference doesn't only exist on track. Lawson confirmed that even in the simulator, the two cars feel very different. This shows that Red Bull's simulator fidelity is high enough to accurately reproduce each car's characteristics — an important data point for assessing the team's engineering capability. To prepare for both possibilities, Lawson spoke to engineers from both teams. He had to maintain readiness for both cars, a cognitive and time burden few drivers face. 'I talked to both teams' engineers to stay ready for both,' he said. The context of this shuffle stems from Isack Hadjar's wrist injury at Racing Bulls. This injury created a domino effect: Lawson was called up to Red Bull as a replacement, while Yuki Tsunoda was moved down to Racing Bulls to fill the vacancy. This is the second time in the 2026 season that Red Bull has shuffled its driver lineup, an instability rarely seen at a top team. Zandvoort was a Sprint weekend, with only one practice session. Lawson admitted it was 'stressful but overall a good weekend.' Now, at Monza, things will be different. Monza is a normal weekend with three practice sessions, and Lawson believes this 'should be easier to adjust' and represents 'another good opportunity.' However, there's a tactical blind spot few have noticed. Monza is the lowest-downforce circuit on the calendar, testing straight-line speed and braking stability rather than high-speed cornering grip. The Red Bull's strength that Lawson mentioned — high-speed grip — will be less relevant here. The question is whether the RB21 can maintain its advantage at a circuit that doesn't suit its core strength. With three practice sessions instead of one, Lawson will have roughly two additional hours of track time to adapt to the Red Bull's different balance and steering feedback. This could make a significant difference in this weekend's result. But Monza is also known for high tire degradation, particularly on the front-left under braking. A driver still adapting to a car's balance may struggle more with tire management than with raw pace. Was P7 at Zandvoort Lawson's ceiling in the Red Bull, or will Monza be where he truly breaks through?