Liam Lawson explains Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko…

Liam Lawson had an impressive Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend but hasn’t since spoken to Helmut Marko, who only calls “after the bad ones”, amid doubts over his Formula 1 future in the Red Bull fold.

The Racing Bulls driver scored his best result of 2025 by qualifying third in Baku before finishing fifth to put a positive spin on an otherwise disappointing season.

Lawson started the year at Red Bull but was demoted for Yuki Tsunoda after just two point-less rounds and returned to the junior squad, where he has been outperformed by rookie team-mate Isack Hadjar.

This means Lawson isn’t signed for 2026 yet and it is unclear if the Baku result will swing in his favour given the lack of communication with Red Bull adviser Marko.

“Normally the phone calls are after the bad ones,” said the 23-year-old. “So I haven't heard much!

“But I think it's clear for all of us. We've obviously done this a long time and we're well aware that we need to have good performances to stay in the sport, and that's honestly what I'm focused on at the moment.

Liam Lawson, Red Bull Racing, Helmut Marko, Red Bull Racing (Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images)

“So, Baku was great, but obviously we need more of that going through the next few races.”

That starts with this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, because Lawson knows from experience how rapidly perceptions can change.

“Personally, it's great to have a result like that,” he added. “But at the same time, as much as you can say that you have momentum, it can change very quickly.

“It’s really important to just stay grounded with these results and know that even though Baku was great, obviously it doesn't mean that it just automatically translates through the rest of the year.”

There are seven weekends left in the 2025 campaign, and Red Bull has previously said that it aims to announce the 2026 line-ups across both teams by the end of October.

The organisation is expected to promote F2 youngster Arvid Lindblad into Racing Bulls, leaving free the seat next to him and the one alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team (Photo by: Ozan Kose / AFP via Getty Images)

Hadjar is currently favourite for that prized spot given Tsunoda’s struggles this year, but Lawson is attempting to block the outside noise as he’s still none the wiser about his future.

“I'd love to know tomorrow, honestly,” said Lawson. “But obviously in this camp it's very normal to be left on hold a little bit, and that's how it is at the moment.

“I know the only thing that has control over that is my performance in the car, so until I have that answer I think that's just what I'm focused on.”

But Lawson is used to this given he has been signed to Red Bull for six years and the programme is well known for being very cut-throat with constant driver changes.

“Unless you're on multi-year contracts – and even then I think Formula 1 contracts, any contracts at the end of the day, can be made to be broken,” he said. “So the only time you're secure is when you're performing. I don't think there's many drivers apart from some of the top guys that are going to feel completely secure.

“But it's not really a new feeling in any way, it's something that we are very used to, it's something that we are especially in the Red Bull programme.

“We're introduced at a very young age knowing that the only way you step up through the ladder is by performing and you have that pressure all the time, so it's on a bigger scale but it's the same thing.”

Additional reporting by Filip Cleeren and Ronald Vording