Lawson reveals timing of surprise Red Bull call-up for Dutch GP

The New Zealander will return to the Milton Keynes-based team as a race driver after contesting just two Grands Prix for Red Bull last year, in Australia and China, before being demoted back to Racing Bulls, where he currently competes.

Speaking to GPblog and other media at Zandvoort, Lawson revealed when he received the call: "Monday. I literally landed. I hadn't even got off the plane. So I've come from basically being on break and landed in the UK for what I thought was going to be, obviously, VCARB prep. And Alan (Permane) called me and basically he told me what was going on. So then my week changed pretty quickly."

Asked how he has dealt with the extra pressure of stepping up from a midfield team to a top outfit like Red Bull, Lawson explained that the experience has felt relatively normal so far, aside from the increased media attention. His main focus is now on getting behind the wheel and preparing for the differences he expects to encounter with the Red Bull car.

Lawson stressed that his priority now is to maximise the weekend and make the most of the opportunity with Red Bull, while also keeping his focus on his own championship campaign.

Finally, he admitted that the circumstances surrounding his return to Red Bull are very different this time around, particularly as he is stepping into the car for a single weekend rather than competing with his regular car and team.

However, the New Zealander believes the additional Formula 1 experience he has gained since his previous Red Bull outings could prove valuable at Zandvoort. He is hoping to put everything he has learned into practice, while acknowledging that the challenging circuit and potentially unpredictable weather could make the weekend particularly interesting.