New Zealand Racing Bulls F1 driver Liam Lawson, 2025. Photo: ANTONIN VINCENT / AFP
Racing Bulls new team principal has praised the way New Zealand driver Liam Lawson has responded to a difficult start to the 2025 Formula 1 championship.
Lawson is enjoying the summer break after a hectic start to the year.
The 23-year-old was demoted from top team Red Bull after two rounds and initially struggled to get up to speed in his return to Racing Bulls.
However he has picked up points in three of his last four races and sits 15th in the drivers' standings, just two points behind his team-mate Isack Hadjar.
Speaking at the recent Hungarian team principal media conference, Alan Permane conceded Lawson was 'downbeat' following his Red Bull demotion, but praised the rookie for the way he has bounced back before his "breakthrough" in Austria.
Lawson recorded his best ever F1 result, sixth, in Austria in June.
F1.com reports Permane, who replaced Laurent Mekies when he was moved up to Red Bull when Christian Horner was fired, has been impressed with Lawson.
"He's done a great job, honestly," Permane said.
"Two races at Red Bull, obviously, were very tough for him. He won't thank me for saying this, but he definitely was a bit downbeat.
"He didn't have a spring in his step, and we've done what we can to help him there. To jump in our car straight away without having tested it was, of course, not easy.
Alan Permane of Racing Bulls. Photo: JULIEN DELFOSSE / AFP
Permane said it was tough first race for Lawson back at Racing Bulls in Japan when Hadjar was at his best, but they had been working together on improvements.
"We've made some changes. He's worked hard. Him and his engineering team have worked really, really hard."
Lawson followed up his sixth in Austria with eighth place finishes in Belgium and Hungary.
"We had a bit of a breakthrough in Austria," he added. "We had a new front suspension for [Lawson], which they developed through the simulator, and he really liked it. [He] was really enthusiastic about it, and it worked there.
"We saw in Spa (Belgium) again, he's performing - you could see after that race. Monaco was a decent race for him, but Austria, he had a spring back in his step," Permane said.
Round 15 is at Circuit Zandvoort in the Netherlands from 29 August to 1 September.
