Honda engineer spotted a shift in Liam Lawson’s data during Max Verstappen battle

Key Highlights

• Speaking on F1’s Beyond The Grid podcast, Lawson explained that he felt like he was constantly playing “catch-up” after having to adapt to another new car. Racing Bulls started noticing real improvement from Lawson around the Austrian Grand Prix, following changes made to his front suspension.
• From round 11 at Spielberg – where he finished sixth – through the end of the year, Lawson scored 34 of his 38 total points. Liam Lawson’s confidence grew fighting Max Verstappen in the 2025 Hungarian GPHonda’s pulse producer engineer Hiroyuki Nakagawa believes the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix marked a turning point for Liam Lawson.
• Having worked with Lawson following his return to Racing Bulls, Nakagawa noted that the driver’s data from Budapest reflected a noticeable change in approach. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDuring their battle in Hungary, Nakagawa observed clear signs of growing confidence in Lawson’s data.
• Although Verstappen had started one spot ahead in P8, Lawson managed to finish just over three seconds clear of him by the end of the race. Nakagawa told Autosport Web: “I have so many unforgettable memories from my four years working there.
• But, this year, I would say the Hungarian Grand Prix.“When I was working with Liam, I felt that this race was a turning point for him.