Doornbos believes Lawson may have difficulty remaining in F1.

      "Hadjar is wearing him down every weekend."

      Liam Lawson may find it challenging to remain in Formula 1 beyond 2025, as suggested by another former Red Bull Racing driver. Lawson, still considered a rookie, had a promising start to the season after being chosen over Yuki Tsunoda to be Max Verstappen's new teammate in the premier team of the energy drink brand. However, he only completed two races before being demoted to Racing Bulls, where he continues to struggle, having not yet earned a single point this season.

      In contrast, the new rookie Isack Hadjar has amassed 7 points and has been frequently praised by Dr. Helmut Marko of Red Bull, who holds significant influence. Robert Doornbos, who raced for Red Bull almost twenty years ago in just three grand prix events, believes Hadjar's strong performance highlights Lawson's difficulties.

      "Liam Lawson is a shadow of his former self," Doornbos remarked to Ziggo Sport. "Isack Hadjar, his teammate and a rookie, is driving him to pieces every weekend. Hadjar has really stepped up as the team leader, scoring good points. He was in the top five in Imola; he finished ninth, which still earns good points."

      Initially outperformed by Verstappen, Doornbos believes that 23-year-old Lawson now feels pressure from even the lower tiers of Red Bull's talent pool. "He needs to be cautious of new Red Bull talents who might take his seat."

      Red Bull is evidently accelerating the journey to Formula 1 for 17-year-old F2 rookie Arvid Lindblad. Over the winter, he was sent to New Zealand to compete in the Formula Regional Oceania series to qualify for an F1 super license. "Honestly, I don’t know all the details," he stated recently. "I was simply told, ’we want you to head to New Zealand; we want you to have the full super license before the start of the F1 season.'"

      According to the Bild newspaper, Lawson should be quite anxious about Lindblad's rapid ascent. "The English-born talent with Swedish heritage is being hailed as the greatest hope since Max Verstappen," a recent report claimed.

      Some believe the Verstappen-Hadjar dynamic has undermined Lawson's confidence, though he refutes this. "Honestly, I would say that I have never stopped driving with confidence," he said at Imola. "It’s been a tough year with complicated weekends, but personally, I've always felt comfortable in the car. I keep learning, that’s for sure, but that (confidence) really hasn’t changed."

      Nevertheless, Racing Bulls may still require Lawson in 2026 due to Tsunoda’s upcoming exit from the Red Bull family, with Honda's expected shift to Aston Martin. 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve suggests that Hadjar could be Verstappen’s next teammate, which would lead to a Lawson-Lindblad partnership at Racing Bulls.

      "If I were Tsunoda," Villeneuve conveyed to Sky, "I would be concerned right now. Remember, Tsunoda was only there because of Honda. They didn’t put him in the main car initially this year because they don’t want Tsunoda, but they had no choice when Lawson wasn’t performing. They fear that Hadjar is too young and not ready, ‘let’s not burn him.’ But he is demonstrating that he might be ready now," Villeneuve added.