Liam Lawson reveals one-word Red Bull seat demand

Liam Lawson has shared the one requirement for him and Yuki Tsunoda to retain their seats within the Red Bull family next year.

Both drivers are fighting for their F1 survival amid disappointing campaigns for the energy drinks manufacturer's two teams.

The New Zealander started the season with the main team, but was brutally demoted after just two rounds, with Tsunoda headed in the other direction.

Whilst the 23-year-old has fared considerably better at Racing Bulls, his future looks uncertain, especially as Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad is waiting in the wings.

Tsunoda, meanwhile, is in the same boat, as he looks increasingly likely to lose his seat to Lawson's current team-mate, Isack Hadjar.

Therefore, the Japanese driver's best hope of retaining a full-time drive in 2026 is back at Racing Bulls, where he began the year.

When asked by Formula 1 if he had any idea when his future might be determined, Lawson replied: "In the next few races, hopefully.

"I don't know exactly when, but obviously at some point, that decision is going to have to be made.

"So, I think in the next few races, and then the message to us is — I'm sure it's the same across all of us — it's: 'perform'.

"And obviously, the better we perform, the better chance we have at staying in the sport.

"But timeframe's very vague at the moment."

'One good result is not enough...'

Lawson's comments came in the run-up to the Singapore Grand Prix, the round directly following his best result in F1 to date.

Having secured a superb fifth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, he headed to the Southeast Asian city-state looking to build on his performance.

However, he endured a miserable weekend at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, where two session-ending practice crashes left him on the back foot.

He never recovered from the disastrous start to the weekend and finished a disappointing P15 under the lights of F1's original night race.

"It's tricky for me to say," Lawson said when asked at the time if he felt he was currently doing enough to keep his seat.

"Honestly, I try not to think too much about what decision they're making and how they're sort of perceiving.

"And I think for me, I'm just focused on trying to extract everything out of the car every time I get in it."

Lawson is acutely aware that one good result will not determine his fate and that he needs to provide consistent results, something he was unable to do in Singapore.

"And I think that's why, as much as Baku was a great weekend, the mindset changes very quickly onto the next one," he added.

"Because I'm well aware that we need to keep this consistency going, and one good result is not enough..."