Lawson to Replace Hadjar Again at Monza: Squad Depth or a Signal for the Future?

Monza, this weekend. Once again, the dark blue RB21 will not be driven by Isack Hadjar. Liam Lawson, the young New Zealander, has been called up to replace him. For the second consecutive time. And I can't help but wonder: is this a mere temporary replacement, or is it an extended test that Red Bull is quietly conducting with Lawson? Based on my experience following races, I realize that personnel decisions in F1 are never random. They are always pieces of a larger puzzle, and this puzzle is gradually revealing very clear lines. The context of this story begins with Hadjar's wrist injury. An injury that seemed simple, but has kept the French driver out of two consecutive races. At Zandvoort last week, Lawson replaced him and finished 7th, a result that cannot be faulted for a reserve driver. But the story doesn't stop there. To fill Lawson's seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull called back Yuki Tsunoda – the driver who lost his full-time seat at the end of the 2026 season. A perfect domino chain, showing the smooth operation of an entire system. What I want to analyze here is not just who sits in which seat. But the message Red Bull is sending. Look at how they handled this situation. They didn't call up just any reserve driver from the academy. They called Lawson – the one who has proven his worth. And they brought in Tsunoda – an experienced driver – to keep Racing Bulls stable. This is not a patch-up. This is a deliberate human resource management strategy. Let me be clear about Lawson's value. A reserve driver called up to replace and score points immediately is an invaluable asset. P7 at Zandvoort was not a lucky result. It shows Lawson has pace, has tire management skills, and is calm enough to seize opportunities. But I always remind people: data only tells part of the story, the rest lies in knowing how to listen. And here, I hear a very clear message from Red Bull: they are giving Lawson a chance to prove he deserves a full-time seat. Now, let's talk about Tsunoda. Bringing Tsunoda back to Racing Bulls is an interesting move. It shows Red Bull hasn't completely given up on the Japanese driver. This is a second audition, a rare opportunity in F1. If Tsunoda performs well, he could have a full-time seat in 2026. If not, this could be the last time we see him in an F1 car. The pressure is immense, but that's also the motivation for him to prove his worth. I want to offer a counter-intuitive perspective here. Many will think Lawson being promoted to Red Bull is a great opportunity for him. But I see this as a double-edged sword. If Lawson can't replicate his Zandvoort form, if he gets left too far behind by Verstappen, his value will drop significantly. Every collapse has its premises; few are willing to see them in advance. And the premise of a collapse here is the high expectation after a good result. Lawson needs to keep a cool head, because Monza is a completely different track compared to Zandvoort. Monza is the temple of speed. This is where engine power and high-speed aerodynamic efficiency are paramount. This is not an easy track for a driver new to the car. Lawson will face high-speed runs, heavy braking from extremely high speeds, and the pressure of competing with more experienced drivers. Can he replicate the P7 miracle? I'm not sure. But I am certain that every tracking number needs to be put on the operating table, not on the altar. We need to look at data objectively, not worship it. Look at the bigger picture of the Red Bull team. They have Verstappen, one of the greatest drivers of all time. They have Lawson, a young talent proving his worth. They have Hadjar, a young driver recovering from injury. And they have Tsunoda, an experienced driver seeking a second chance. This is a driver development and management system that no other team has. This is Red Bull's competitive advantage. They don't just have a fast car; they have a squad of high-quality reserve drivers. I remember my early days following F1, back in the 1980s. Back then, a reserve driver being called up was a rare event. Teams usually had one or two main drivers and no systematic youth development program like today. This change reflects the professionalization of the sport. And Red Bull is the pioneer in this field. They have built a youth academy, a system of satellite teams, and a very methodical recruitment process. But I also want to warn about a potential risk. Having too much talent in one system can create a bottleneck. Lawson, Hadjar, Tsunoda, and possibly a few other young talents from the Red Bull academy, are all competing for a limited number of seats. This can create internal tension and cause some talents to leave. I have witnessed this happen in many other teams, and football is no exception. A contract only looks good on paper until someone tries to fit it into a running system. So, what should we expect at Monza? I think we should watch two things. First, Lawson's qualifying pace compared to Verstappen. If Lawson is within 0.3 seconds of Verstappen, that's a very positive signal. Second, Tsunoda's results at Racing Bulls. If Tsunoda performs better than his teammate, then his chances of returning to a full-time seat in 2026 are very high. Finally, I want to emphasize one thing. In F1, nothing is certain. A good result can come from many factors, and a bad result too. We need to look at the big picture, look at trends, look at data objectively. And we need to remember that behind every personnel decision, there is always a bigger story being written. Lawson's story at Monza will be an important chapter in his career. And Red Bull's story in managing its driver squad will be a topic worth following throughout the season. An empty grandstand doesn't kill the race, but it takes away something that numbers can't measure. I've said this many times, and I'll say it again. The pressure from the stands, the cheers of the fans, all of that creates an atmosphere that no number can measure. And at Monza, with stands full of passionate tifosi, that pressure will be a real test for Lawson. Does he have the nerve to overcome it? Let's wait and see.