After simply two races with Pink Bull, Liam Lawson is making his return to Visa Money App Racing Bulls on the Method 1 Japanese Grand Prix.
Within the workforce’s media preview, Lawson known as the weekend a “massive alternative” as he seems to be to bounce again after a tough begin to the season.
“I’m actually wanting ahead to be racing in Japan this weekend. Suzuka is one among my favourite tracks on the calendar,” mentioned Lawson. “It’s cool to drive and really excessive pace, which makes it nice enjoyable in a Method One automobile. This weekend is an enormous alternative for me as I rejoin Visa Money App Racing Bulls, and I’m very excited to work with this workforce once more. As at all times, I’ll be giving it all the pieces I’ve.“
Lawson was tapped to switch Sergio Pérez alongside Max Verstappen at Pink Bull for the 2025 F1 season, however completed exterior the factors in all three contested races this season: The Australian Grand Prix, the F1 Dash on the Chinese language Grand Prix, and the Chinese language Grand Prix itself. After days of hypothesis, Pink Bull confirmed final week that Lawson can be demoted to VCARB, and Yuki Tsunoda would take his place alongside Verstappen.
Lawson’s new teammate, Isack Hadjar, believes the workforce can battle for factors in Suzuka.
“I’m actually excited to be in Japan, which might be my favourite nation to go to on the calendar. I’ve already pushed at Suzuka, and even when it was some time in the past, it’s nonetheless my favorite observe together with Monaco,” mentioned Hadjar. “I believe driving right here for the primary time in a Method One automobile, it’ll really feel ridiculously quick. I’m eager to see what we will obtain as a workforce as a result of, within the first two race weekends we appeared to have lots of tempo, so the plan is to duplicate that once more and battle for extra factors.”
Racing Director Alan Permane known as the Japanese Grand Prix one of many “final challenges” the game has to supply.
“Suzuka is among the final challenges for automobile, driver and [tires],
started Permane. “It has virtually each kind of nook that we encounter over a season, multi functional lap. From very excessive pace, to lengthy sweeping medium pace, quick modifications of route, heavy braking and a good chicane with kerbs to experience.
“Pirelli will convey the toughest [tires] of their 2025 vary for this weekend and these work effectively on this excessive vitality observe. Round 50% of the observe has been resurfaced since we final visited and the impression of this on grip and [tire] conduct will probably be one of many gadgets on our record to check throughout Friday working.
Permane believes that the workforce’s challenger has “labored effectively” to date this season, however with the midfield competitors tight VCARB will have to be at their finest to convey house factors this weekend.
“The VCARB 02 has labored effectively on the earlier two tracks, however the midfield is tight, and we might want to work onerous to ship one of the best qualifying end result and even tougher to transform this on Sunday,” added Permane. “We welcome Liam again to the workforce at a observe he is aware of effectively from his season in Tremendous Method in 2023 and stay up for him and Isack working collectively to extract the utmost efficiency from the automobile right here, and for the remainder of the season.”