Lawson's Red Bull demotion was 'best thing' for his career, says Naomi Schiff

Liam Lawson’s fall from Red Bull’s senior seat has quietly become one of Formula 1’s more unlikely success stories, and analyst Naomi Schiff is among those making the case that the demotion was a blessing in disguise. Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast after the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, Schiff argued that Lawson’s return to the Racing Bulls outfit has been the making of him.

Lawson was promoted to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull for 2025, but two difficult opening rounds prompted the team to send him back to their sister operation. The reset has paid dividends: Lawson has scored points in five of the first seven races of the 2026 season, including an eighth-place finish and four points at Barcelona.

“We saw Liam Lawson barely getting his opportunity at the big team, and then he was sent back to RB, and actually, it was probably for the better of his career that he went back there,” Schiff said. “They are regularly in the points, as they were last year, and they seem to really be the team that’s comfortably in the top 10.”

Schiff also highlighted the broader strength of the Racing Bulls package, noting that Audi and Alpine have occasionally threatened but that Racing Bulls remains the benchmark among the midfield runners. “RB really does, to me, feel like they are the best of the rest at the moment,” she added.

Rookie team-mate Arvid Lindblad has also impressed, and Schiff pointed to the pair’s collective form as evidence of a team in good health. “You constantly have Arvid Lindblad up there as well, and I just think we see them both thriving at the moment in that team. They’re happy drivers. They seem to be able to do their thing in the car, and they’ve delivered really well this year so far.”

Lawson currently sits 10th in the drivers’ championship with 28 points, while Lindblad is 13th on 13 points. Together they have lifted Racing Bulls to sixth in the constructors’ standings with 41 points — a position that underlines Schiff’s argument that, whatever the circumstances of his demotion, Lawson has found a home where he can perform.