Liam Lawson has received a stunning vote of confidence from Juan Pablo Montoya, with the former F1 star suggesting the New Zealander could be the next Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

The 24-year-old Lawson finally got the news he wanted most of all on Thursday with Racing Bulls confirming at last that he will retain his seat for 2027. This came after weeks of speculation that he could be replaced by young Bulgarian Nikola Tsolov.

Lawson will also be buoyed by comments made by Colombian great Montoya during his latest appearance on the MontoyAS podcast.

Montoya discussed Lawson’s terrific 2026 performances, his recent on-track exchanges with Verstappen in Mexico City and that ongoing debate which has surrounded his F1 future.

F1 HEADLINES: Hamilton backed in Ferrari row as team boss says contract decision out of his hands

Montoya sees Verstappen potential in Lawson

The Colombian believes Lawson is beginning to establish himself and earn greater respect, even suggesting there is potential for him to become the next Verstappen at Red Bull.

“To a certain extent, Liam is starting to show that he could be the next Max. He could,” Montoya said.

Montoya also praised Lawson’s performances against the other drivers in the midfield, describing him as the strongest of those competing in that ultra-competitive second tier.

“He’s the best driver. Of the drivers in the slower cars in the second group, he’s the best driver. He sets the pace.”

Montoya’s comments came after Lawson found himself under scrutiny following an incident involving Verstappen, with the four-time world champion unhappy with the New Zealander’s positioning during a practice session in Mexico City. The pair were each given a one-place grid penalty for their part in the incident.

While Montoya acknowledged that Verstappen had a reason to be frustrated, he also questioned why Lawson should be expected to simply move aside.

“I’m not ruining your lap, so why are you going to ruin mine? That’s what you’re doing,” he explained, outlining the sort of thinking he believes Lawson is beginning to demonstrate.

Lawson growing in confidence – ‘starting to stick out his chest’

He added that Lawson was increasingly showing the confidence required to demand respect from his competitors.

“He’s starting to grow, he’s starting to stick out his chest, his elbows, his shoulders, and make it clear that people need to respect him, too.”

Montoya also believes Lawson is an important asset for Racing Bulls, suggesting the team should be looking to build around the New Zealander rather than considering him a problem.

Indeed, he argued that if anyone’s position deserved greater scrutiny, it should have been that of rookie team-mate Arvid Lindblad rather than Lawson.

“Yes, in other words, if you were going to question someone at this moment, you would have to question Lindblad more than Lawson,” Montoya said.

READ MORE: Liam Lawson learns F1 fate as Racing Bulls announce contract decision

READ MORE: Verstappen questions Ferrari decision after Hamilton vs Leclerc showdown

Lando Norris has insisted that he’s fine after a bizarre, slapstick sequence of events on the Brazilian Grand Prix podium.

The reigning world champion drove a masterful race in changing conditions to take an impressive third win of the season ahead of Max Verstappen, but everything went wrong after he was presented with his winner’s trophy.

The Brit leapt down from the top step of the podium and slammed the bottom of his Jeroboam of champagne onto the floor – his standard trick to get it to fizz up more violently than the traditional ‘shake and spray’ approach – only for the 3 litre bottle to shatter, leaving him bewildered and holding just the neck.

With circus music presumably playing in his head, Norris then stumbled straight into the path of the small pyrotechnic machine which was shooting eye-catching sparks up into the air, looking utterly disorientated.

F1 HEADLINES: ‘Devastated’ Hamilton seeks Ferrari answers as John Elkann steps in

Norris opens up on champagne problems

Norris’ main message when speaking on a Twitch stream on Monday? Little firework-looking things to the side of the head, not painful. Champagne being sprayed into your eyes from multiple directions, painful.

Speaking to his viewers, he said: “How’s my ear? My ear is fine, thanks for asking. The problem is, everyone’s like, ‘Why did you walk into it?’ It’s because I got sprayed with champagne in my eyes, then I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t see where I was going.

“I don’t think people realise how much it hurts and stings having champagne in your eyes. I didn’t know where I was moving and, all of sudden, it just gets pretty warm on my ear. It felt pretty warm.

“I couldn’t see it, so I just felt it there. I was already in shock that my bottle broke, for the first time in my life. But it didn’t hurt. I just felt something on my ear. I thought it was a fly.

“It didn’t hurt. I’m hard as nails! I hit my bottle, I then had a little moment where I was like, ‘Oh my God, my hand is gone’.”

This is Norris’ second champagne-bump celebration incident in F1, infamously smashing Max Verstappen’s €40,000 Hungarian Grand Prix trophy with the same move back in 2023. Maybe…time to retire that one?

READ MORE: Martin Brundle responds to Hamilton vs Leclerc claim with blunt four-word verdict

READ MORE: Ted Kravitz raises alarm over absent Red Bull figure: ‘This isn’t usual’

Liam Lawson is still waiting to find out if he has an F1 seat for 2027 after another super show at Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old New Zealander has been terrific this season, and he added another stellar drive to his 2026 highlight reel by claiming a P7 finish at Interlagos.

It topped off another excellent weekend for the young Kiwi, who had started on the second row after qualifying in P5 and then having grid penalties promote him further.

While Lawson didn’t have the pace to hang on to his lofty P3 starting position he got ahead of race winner Lando Norris in the early stages and was again the best of the rest in F1’s fierce midfield battle. He finished P8 on track but was moved up a slot when Ferrari star Charles Leclerc was penalised for bumping him.

Lawson stands ninth in the Drivers’ standings with 89 points – some 51 ahead of rookie team-mate Arvid Lindblad. Despite his performances though Racing Bulls have still to confirm he will return again in 2027.

F1 HEADLINES: Max Verstappen slams ‘disaster’ Red Bull as Liam Lawson contract decision savaged

READ MORE: John Elkann steps in as Lewis Hamilton-Charles Leclerc rivalry threatens Ferrari

Lawson on support: ‘I would love it if it was more from a team!

As speculation about a potential promotion for Bulgarian prodigy Nikola Tsolov continues, Lawson admits he is not sure what else he can do to prove his worth at this stage.

“I appreciate all the support I’ve seen over the last few weeks,” he said.

“It’s honestly really nice to see. Obviously, I would love it if it was more from a team! But at the moment, I’m just trying to enjoy driving the car because with everything else going on, I don’t really know what else I’m meant to do.

“I don’t know what else I’m meant to say to you guys. I’m just going to keep driving and yeah, see what happens.

“I feel like Alan’s [Permane, Racing Bulls team principal] been extremely supportive to me, and I appreciate that a lot, and I have enjoyed working closely with them and with the team this year. But obviously it’s a big organisation.”

Racing Bulls maximised Interlagos opportunity

Lawson was satisfied with his finishing position at Interlagos, feeling he and the team had not left points on the table.

“I feel like we maximised today. I had a strong race. I would have liked it to stay wet the whole race. It would have been cool. I probably would have had more of a shot there.

“But at the moment, we’re topping the midfield as a team, and that’s what we’re targeting every weekend.”

Lawson honest about where he stands in F1 pecking order

Lawson is also honest about where Racing Bulls are lacking when they do get a chance to compete at the front of the grid.

“I mean, crazy race. Honestly, I had a really good start. Good grip in Turn 1. Obviously made up a place, and then to be honest, I was thinking I might try and attack Kimi [Antonelli] at some point in the lap,” he added.

“But yeah, just once the pace stabilises, they’re a lot quicker than us, and we started to pull back.

“We were damaging our tyre, I think, quite a lot more than them. And then I think the pace on the dry was okay.”

READ MORE: F1 Brazilian Grand Prix results changed as FIA announce post-race penalties

READ MORE: Ferrari star demoted at Brazilian Grand Prix as FIA confirms post-race penalty