P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Liam Lawson will be starting his first full season with Racing Bulls for F1’s all-new era.
Liam Lawson has highlighted reliability issues as a major concern for Formula 1 as it enters a new rules era, with significant changes to power units and chassis for the 2026 season.
The revamped power units now boast increased power output to 350k/w, a shift from the 120k/w in 2025, incorporating sustainable fuels and omitting the MGU-H.
Amongst chassis alterations like active aerodynamics and modified wheelbases, Lawson’s Racing Bulls will face challenges using Red Bull’s first proprietary power unit, as team principal Laurent Mekies anticipates anticipated struggles.
As teams gear up for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 8th, Lawson emphasized that reliability remains the overarching question mark for all teams, to be swiftly addressed during testing.
In his TalkSPORT interview at the Racing Bulls launch, Lawson conveyed the urgency of understanding the team’s performance package post-testing, utilizing diverse running styles to assess reliability before the season progresses with ongoing development.
The competitive landscape will likely unveil itself early on, post-testing, guiding teams in refining their approach based on the reliability and performance insights gained.
