Kiwi F1 Driver Liam Lawson Climbs to 9th in Championship

Sometimes the best comeback stories don't come with fireworks, just steady determination and a willingness to learn from tough times.

New Zealand's Liam Lawson is making waves in Formula 1 this season, sitting ninth in the driver's championship after a challenging 2025. The 24-year-old Racing Bulls driver has already scored 26 points in 2026, a dramatic improvement from his struggle to score any points in his first seven races last year.

His secret? There isn't one, really. "You always learn, you always get better, so for sure I'm in a better place than I've ever been in Formula 1," Lawson told reporters ahead of the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. "I think there's been a bit more consistency this year and that's been helping."

Last year tested Lawson in ways most young drivers never face. He entered Formula 1 as an injury replacement for Daniel Ricciardo in 2023, then replaced the Australian entirely at the end of 2024, only to be demoted back to the junior Racing Bulls team from the prestigious Red Bull seat. The entire season unfolded against a backdrop of team power struggles and off-track scandals.

This year looks completely different. With a proper preseason and a more settled team environment, Lawson has found his rhythm. The new 2026 regulations brought fresh challenges for everyone, but Racing Bulls delivered a reliable mid-pack car that's let Lawson showcase what he's learned.

Former world champion Jenson Button praised the Kiwi's mental toughness at Monaco, noting that few drivers bounce back the way Lawson has after being replaced from a top team. That resilience comes from keeping perspective even during the good times.

"It's motorsport, a bad weekend is going to come and we all have that, but at the moment it's been good and we've had good momentum," Lawson acknowledged. He's realistic about his points scoring streak, knowing some came from reliability issues plaguing the top teams, but he credits his Racing Bulls crew for putting him in position to capitalize.

Why This Inspires

Lawson's story reminds us that success rarely follows a straight line. Getting demoted could have crushed a young driver's confidence, but instead of dwelling on the setback, Lawson focused on the fundamentals: showing up, doing the work, and getting incrementally better each weekend.

In a sport obsessed with prodigies and instant success, there's something refreshing about a driver who attributes his improvement to experience and consistency rather than natural talent alone. His journey proves that how you respond to disappointment often matters more than avoiding it entirely.

Now Lawson keeps his head down and focuses on what he can control, race by race, learning by learning. That mindset is already paying dividends on the track and building a foundation for whatever comes next in his Formula 1 career.