Liam Lawson highlights significant Red Bull 'knife-edge' difference

Liam Lawson has explained the significant difference he endured this time around at Red Bull compared to his stint at the start of 2025.

The New Zealander's promotion last year ended after just two rounds as disappointing performances saw him shipped back to the sister Racing Bulls team.

However, his services were required once again last time out at Zandvoort due to an injury for Isack Hadjar.

On this occasion, he impressed as he lapped close to the times set by Max Verstappen before bringing home points in seventh place.

It was a stark contrast to his experience last year - but as Lawson explained, the circumstances were much different.

“The main thing last year was there were two tracks I'd never been to,” Lawson told media including RacingNews365.

“So on top of that, trying to learn a car that was already very hard to drive. 

“This car potentially is not so difficult to drive, or difficult to be on the limit.

“So it's more putting everything else together, tyre prep, just getting the balance right in the car and getting used to how it actually drives, versus a car last year that was just very tough to put on the limit.”

“I went into last year, thought I was going to have more time in the car, so I was more or less just adapting to everything that Max had in the car. 

“And there's a lot of stuff, just like pedals, steering, everything like that-that was different for me. I didn't have time to get used to it.

“[At Zandvoort], I said let's make it as close to my car as possible.”

Red Bull's car last year was notoriously tricky to drive, with Lawson's replacement Yuki Tsunoda also struggling to extract performance.

But with a new cycle of regulations underway, Lawson asserted it is a much different challenger to drive this time around.

“Last year the car was on such a knife edge, at least at the start, that if you weren't on that limit, then it was a huge lap time killer,” he said.

“This year there are so many more factors in there. 

“Having more time in this car and this regulation period, as much as the car is very, very different, there are a lot of things that factor into putting a lap together with these power units. Having the same power unit helps as well.”