A recent tweet from Formula Racers on August 19, 2026, unveils the complete timeline of New Zealander Liam Lawson's Formula 1 career, showing a series of promotions and demotions between Red Bull Racing and its sister team VCARB (formerly AlphaTauri). From his debut in 2023 to a return to Red Bull in 2026, Lawson's path is a testament to resilience in the high-stakes world of F1.

Formula 1 is no stranger to surprising driver moves, and the career of Liam Lawson is a prime example of how a driver can rise, fall, and rise again within a few seasons. A recent tweet from the specialized account Formula Racers, published on August 19, 2026, reveals the complete timeline of his journey through the top tier of motorsport, showing a pattern of ups and downs that has seen him alternate between the main Red Bull Racing team and its junior outfits.

Lawson, born in New Zealand in 2002, made his F1 debut in 2023 with AlphaTauri (the predecessor of VCARB), but his seat was not permanent. The following year, in 2024, he became a reserve driver, though he soon returned to racing with the same team, now rebranded as VCARB. The 2025 season brought him a golden opportunity: he was promoted to Red Bull Racing, the championship-winning squad, but later returned to VCARB mid-season, according to the timeline. In 2026, history repeated itself: he started with VCARB and, towards the end of the season, was back with Red Bull.

A history of back-and-forth moves

The table published by Formula Racers is clear:

YearTeam
2023AlphaTauri
2024Reserve driver
2024VCARB
2025Red Bull
2025VCARB
2026VCARB
2026Red Bull

This constant movement reflects Red Bull's policy of rotating drivers between its two teams, evaluating performance and adaptability. Lawson has proven to be a flexible asset, able to take on reserve roles and then return to active competition. His case echoes that of other talents like Alex Albon or Pierre Gasly, who also had to deal with the pressure of being promoted and then sent back to the junior team.

What does this mean for the future?

While this information comes from a tweet and not from an official team announcement, the timeline matches publicly known movements up to this date. The fact that Lawson returned to Red Bull in 2026 suggests his performance at VCARB was strong enough to earn another shot at the main team. With an increasingly demanding race calendar, and with drivers like Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez established (though Perez's seat has been questioned), Lawson's presence adds another layer of internal competition that keeps the rivalry alive.

For international fans who follow every Grand Prix with passion, Lawson's story is a reminder that in F1, patience and resilience are just as important as speed. Meanwhile, we'll have to wait and see if the New Zealander finally secures a permanent spot at Red Bull, or if fate has another twist in store.

Source: Formula Racers (Twitter), August 19, 2026.