Liam Lawson’s return to Racing Bulls at the Japanese Grand Prix was met with frustration as the New Zealand driver struggled with car balance during Saturday’s qualifying session, finishing in 13th place. Despite showing promise in practice, Lawson admitted to “hitting a wall” with the VCARB 02’s setup, leaving him unable to advance beyond Q2 at the iconic Suzuka Circuit.
Lawson, who was recently demoted from Red Bull Racing after just two races in the 2025 season, had expressed optimism about his return to the junior team. His fifth-place finish in Friday’s FP2 session suggested a competitive edge, but Saturday’s qualifying told a different story. “It was a disappointing end, to be honest,” Lawson said in a post-session interview with Formula 1’s official website. “We had a competitive car yesterday and a good Q1, but we were chasing the balance through qualifying. By Q2, we couldn’t tune it much more.”
The 23-year-old driver, paired with rookie teammate Isack Hadjar—who impressively qualified seventh despite cockpit discomfort—highlighted the challenges of adapting the car’s setup mid-session. “Unfortunately, we hit a wall and struggled,” Lawson added, reflecting on the team’s inability to extract more performance as the session progressed.
Lawson’s 13th-place grid slot, elevated from 14th after a penalty to Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz for impeding Lewis Hamilton, still placed him ahead of Yuki Tsunoda, the driver who replaced him at Red Bull Racing. Tsunoda, making his debut for the senior team at his home grand prix, qualified 15th, a result that underscored the difficulties both drivers faced with their respective machinery. Lawson downplayed any personal rivalry, stating, “It’s just another car. With tomorrow’s weather, it’s going to be an exciting race, so I’ll focus on getting a good start and moving forward.”
The Suzuka weekend has been a rollercoaster for the Red Bull family. While Max Verstappen secured a stunning pole position with what he called an “insane” lap, the sister team Racing Bulls showed flashes of potential but struggled to maintain consistency. Team principal Laurent Mekies has emphasized rebuilding Lawson’s confidence after his brief and challenging stint at Red Bull, where he failed to score points in Australia and China.