F1 Today | Verstappen gets new teammate at Zandvoort as Sainz sticks with Williams for 2027

Red Bull will make a temporary change to its driver line-up at Zandvoort, with Liam Lawson stepping up from Racing Bulls to partner Max Verstappen for the Dutch Grand Prix. The reshuffle comes after Isack Hadjar was ruled out of the weekend due to a wrist injury suffered during the summer break, as GPblog reported earlier today.

Lawson's promotion also creates a vacancy at Racing Bulls. Red Bull reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda will take over the New Zealander's car and race alongside Arvid Lindblad this weekend.

For Lawson, the circumstances bring back memories of his first Formula 1 appearance. His debut came at Zandvoort in 2023 after Daniel Ricciardo was injured during the weekend, forcing the Australian to step aside at AlphaTauri.

This time, Lawson will return to the Red Bull senior team as Verstappen's temporary teammate. The arrangement has only been confirmed for the Dutch Grand Prix, with the following round scheduled to take place at Monza two weeks later.

Carlos Sainz has outlined the reasons behind his decision to remain with Williams for another season, which was announced earlier today, despite the British team enduring a disappointing first half of the campaign compared to expectations.

The Spaniard's decision is largely based on his confidence in the people within Williams and his belief that the team possesses the talent, motivation and passion required to eventually return to the front of the grid. His faith in the project has also been strengthened by the changes, investments and projects currently taking place behind the scenes.

While Sainz acknowledged that Williams has encountered a setback this season, he remains convinced that the foundations are in place for the team to recover and emerge stronger.

Another important factor has been the working environment he has experienced since joining Williams. Sainz has developed an open relationship not only with James Vowles, but also with the management, Board members and people throughout the organisation. He values the team's approach to communication and accountability, with transparency and responsibility playing an important role in identifying problems and making progress.