Liam Lawson sends message to new Racing Bulls teammate Isack Hadjar after scoring his first F1 points

It’s not uncommon for the dynamic within both Red Bull-backed Formula 1 teams to be constantly evolving.

Racing Bulls in all of its various guises over the years has always been a place for young drivers to try and launch their careers in F1.

Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel are the most famous examples, but Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon also made their debuts with the team, although the latter two drivers had to survive difficult stints at Red Bull before being allowed to move on.

Liam Lawson was set to be the latest driver tasked with getting up to speed at Red Bull alongside Verstappen, only for his spell with the team to be cut short after just two race weekends.

Lawson struggled with the RB21, and after four years of preparation, team principal Christian Horner finally decided to give Yuki Tsunoda his chance.

Tsunoda’s debut in Japan didn’t go to plan, but after Verstappen’s incredible win, the only Red Bull-backed driver to impress was Isack Hadjar.

The high-profile mistake he made on the formation lap in Melbourne has quickly been put to the back of his mind, and at the Japanese Grand Prix, he scored the first points of his Formula 1 career.

READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls F1 driver Liam Lawson? Everything you need to know

Liam Lawson congratulates Isack Hadjar on his performance at the Japanese Grand Prix

Lawson took to Instagram after his first race back with Racing Bulls, and although he could only record a P17 finish, there were some positives to take.

For the first time this year, Lawson reached Q2 at Suzuka and even outqualified Tsunoda in the seemingly superior Red Bull.

HADJOINTS!!!!! 🐐 #F1 #VCARB #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/cv8LnvUJjG

— Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team (@visacashapprb) April 6, 2025

Unfortunately, he fell down the order in the race, but Hadjar delivered four precious points for Racing Bulls that could be pivotal in the midfield battle this year.

Lawson said: “Back on the horse this weekend with @visacashapprb.

“Well done @isackhadjar on getting your first points in F1, excited to race with the team again in Bahrain.”

READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls 2025 F1 driver Isack Hadjar? Everything you need to know

Ralf Schumacher makes Racing Bulls ‘team leader’ claim after the Japanese Grand Prix

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher was speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast after the race in Japan.

He was thoroughly impressed with Hadjar after his first top 10 finish in Formula 1, and said when talking about the struggles Jack Doohan is facing at Alpine: “I have to say that between him [Hadjar] and [Oliver] Bearman and Kimi Antonelli, it’s hard to judge [who is the best rookie].

“What you have to say is that he just needs a bit of time. What you have to say is that he’s also done the 10,000 km or more in testing like Mercedes in the old car.

“You don’t really have that opportunity at Racing Bulls, he’s tested very little, that’s why I think this performance is extremely high.

“The same goes for Bearman, and now coming back to Hadjar, the weekend started and he was strong from the start on this track that he hardly knew.

“There’s been a team change, the internal pressure, now Lawson if he’s faster, it’s like, how do I look then?

“You have to say that he mastered it brilliantly, and in the end, he became the team leader as a rookie, so hats off to him.”

Hadjar impressed Damon Hill after the race, and among the turbulent situation happening around him at Red Bull, he’s starting to establish himself as the next star out of the team’s academy.