Internal Rivalry Under the Spotlight
The 2026 Formula 1 season has seen Racing Bulls emerge as a formidable midfield contender, but internal friction between drivers Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad is increasingly defining the team’s narrative. Following the Hungarian Grand Prix, untelevised team radio footage has surfaced, revealing a heated moment between the two as they navigated the Hungaroring.
During the race, Lindblad, the grid’s only rookie, accused his teammate Lawson of “moving under braking” while the pair battled for position. The incident occurred on the second lap, shortly after Lindblad’s race engineer, Pierre Hamelin, had instructed him to prioritize tyre management. Despite the directive, Lindblad attempted an aggressive maneuver, locking his front-right tyre and running wide at Turn 1. Lawson, who ultimately finished eighth, successfully defended his position, while Lindblad settled for tenth.
Strategic Splits and Points Stakes
The tension between the two drivers is occurring against a backdrop of significant team progress. With their double-points finish in Hungary, Racing Bulls has leapfrogged Alpine to secure fifth place in the constructors’ championship, currently holding a five-point lead. The team’s ability to maximize points has been central to this ascent, with the squad opting to split strategies—a decision that saw Lawson utilize a two-stop approach while Lindblad attempted a one-stop.
Lawson has publicly urged the Alan Permane-led outfit to maintain this momentum for the remainder of the season. However, the internal dynamic remains complex. Earlier in the season at the Austrian Grand Prix, a similar breakdown in team cohesion saw Lindblad overtake Lawson after the latter was assured he would not be attacked by his teammate. Lawson expressed his frustration over the radio at the time, stating, “Last time I’m f**king listening, man.”
External Pressure from Verstappen
The rivalry has also drawn external criticism. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen, struggling to lap the pair during the Hungarian Grand Prix, labeled the Racing Bulls drivers “morons” over team radio and suggested they should receive penalties for their on-track behavior. This intervention from the Red Bull senior team driver adds a layer of scrutiny to the Racing Bulls garage as they navigate their internal driver management.
Lindblad, for his part, has acknowledged the difficulties of his opening laps this season, noting that he is investigating the reasons behind his poor starts. Despite the frustrations, he maintains that the team’s strategic split was the correct approach to maximize the result for the squad.