Liam Lawson may be running out of time to prove he belongs in Formula 1, according to former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos.
The 23-year-old New Zealander started the 2025 season on a high, beating Yuki Tsunoda to a coveted seat alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing. But after just two races, Lawson was demoted to Racing Bulls — and he has yet to score a single point.
Meanwhile, rookie teammate Isack Hadjar has racked up 7 points and is constantly winning praise from Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko.
"Liam Lawson is a shadow of his former self," Doornbos told Ziggo Sport.
"Isack Hadjar, his teammate and a rookie, is driving him to pieces every weekend.
"Hadjar has really become the team leader and is scoring good points. He was in the top five in Imola. He ended up ninth, but those are still good points."
With Verstappen initially totally outclassing him and Hadjar now thriving, Doornbos believes Lawson could be feeling pressure from both above and below.
"He needs to be watching over his shoulder for new Red Bull talent who might take his place."
One name Red Bull is clearly fast-tracking is 17-year-old F2 rookie Arvid Lindblad. Over the winter, Lindblad was sent to New Zealand to compete in Formula Regional Oceania — purely to accelerate his super license eligibility.
"Honestly, I don't know all the ins and outs of it," Lindblad admitted recently. "I was just told 'we want you to go to New Zealand, we want you to have the full super license before the start of the F1 season.'"
Bild newspaper described Lindblad as "the greatest hope since Max Verstappen," adding that Lawson should be very nervous.
Some believe the combined pressure from Verstappen and Hadjar has chipped away at Lawson's confidence, though he strongly disagrees.
"Honestly, I would say that I have never stopped driving with confidence," he said at Imola.
"It's been a tough year so far, with really complicated weekends, but personally, I have always felt comfortable in the car.
I keep learning, that's for sure, but that (confidence) hasn't really changed."
Even so, Racing Bulls may still have a role for Lawson in 2026 — especially with Honda's departure to Aston Martin perhaps bringing Tsunoda's Red Bull career to an end.
1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve thinks Hadjar's performance could also impact Red Bull's top team lineup.
"If I were Tsunoda," Villeneuve told Sky, "I would be worried right now.
"Remember, Tsunoda was only ever there because of Honda. They didn't (initially) put him in the main car this year because they don't want Tsunoda. But they didn't have a choice when Lawson wasn't up to scratch.
"And they're afraid that Hadjar is just too young, not ready, 'let's not burn him'. But he's showing now that he might be ready," Villeneuve added.
