Liam Lawson says Racing Bulls have built a strong platform at the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season, scoring in every race so far while continuing to adapt to the demands of the new regulations.

The New Zealander pointed to a productive pre season and a competitive showing in Melbourne as key early positives, with the team maximising its current package while targeting further gains through development.

He said: “Pre-season was good, and we arrived in Melbourne quite strong, stronger than in the other two races. We’ve maximized what we could from the speed we have, and the team has done a really good job.

"Going forward, the goal is to find more performance in the car, and once we do that, we’ll be in a strong position. We’ve been able to score in every race this year, which gives us a good platform to keep building.”

While Racing Bulls have delivered consistent results, Lawson made clear that unlocking more raw pace and downforce will be critical to moving further up the grid.

Balance versus battery defines early 2026 challenge

Lawson highlighted one of the defining characteristics of the new era, with drivers forced to balance corner performance against energy usage, particularly in qualifying conditions.

He said: “This year, there’s quite a big difference between the balance you can extract performance wise through corners on throttle especially in Qualifying compared to how much battery you’re using.

"That’s probably been the biggest challenge for us as drivers to get used to. In our case, it’s been less of a factor compared to the top teams, but as we become more competitive, we’ll start to feel it more, as I did in Japan.

"Our power unit has been very strong, particularly for a first-season PU. We’ve been maximising what we can from the car, but once we find more raw speed and downforce, we’ll be in a much stronger position.”

That trade off has become a central talking point in the opening races, with Lawson suggesting Racing Bulls have so far been less exposed to its extremes since they are not fighting for higher positions, but will encounter it more as performance improves.

Safety and development at the forefront

Reflecting on the broader picture, Lawson said the entire grid is still learning how to extract the best from the new cars, with safety remaining the top priority following early season incidents.

He said: “It’s been a very different start to the season, the cars are very different, and we’re still trying to get our heads around them.

"We’re all in the same boat, so it’s about working together to find solutions that work for everyone. So far, we’ve done a good job of extracting performance from the car, and we have some exciting upgrades to look forward to.

“From a regulations point of view, the biggest priority is safety which everyone is in agreement on, especially after what we saw in Japan.

"We want to avoid situations like that going forward. On the performance side, things will always evolve and we’ll get faster over time.”

Lawson closed by underlining development as the decisive factor for the rest of the season, with Racing Bulls preparing for a series of upgrades on accelerated timelines.

He explained: “The main focus for us, and for the rest of the teams, is development. We’re going to see some big upgrades coming, especially this year, with development happening on shorter timelines.

"We’ll be using the simulator to optimize these upgrades as much as possible. Reliability has been very strong, and from a strategy point of view we’ve also done a great job.

"Overall, it’s been a positive start, so we will keep pushing in that direction," Lawson concluded.