The Racing Bulls driver took on the Goodwood Rally Stage in July as part of a Red Bull–Ford showcase, with the longtime WRC partners now also collaborating on Red Bull’s 2026 F1 power unit.
Lawson’s task was straightforward in theory — get within 15 seconds of a professional rally driver’s lap time — but far tougher in reality, given he had just four laps to learn the course and the car, and admitted he had never driven a rally car before.
“The challenge is for me to get within 15 seconds of a lap time set by a pro rally driver, around the Goodwood Rally Stage,” Lawson explained in a Red Bull Motorsports video.
“A very narrow circuit, mostly lined with trees, and I have only got four laps to get to grips with the car.
The car in question was a Rally1-spec Ford Puma, one of the fastest machines in the sport.
M-Sport Ford’s Josh McErlean set the benchmark at 2:26.75, with Lawson riding shotgun for an eye-opening demonstration lap.
“Oh beautiful! It’s so slippy,” he said, before adding: “When you said it’s low grip, I was expecting it to be so much slower. Mate, that is f***ed.
“You just don’t expect it to have that grip. And there were a couple of corners that were really, really loose.
“So much pitch control, like you’re constantly pitching the car on the way into the corners.”
When it came time to drive, Lawson stalled immediately but quickly found his rhythm.
His first timed effort of 2:36.25 was already within 10 seconds of McErlean, and by the end of his fourth lap he had closed the gap to just two seconds.
“I’ve never had a feeling like that from a race car,” he said.
“This is so much fun. You can’t help it, the adrenaline kick… Mate, unbelievable.”
On his official timed run, Lawson stopped the clock at 2:27.25 — missing McErlean’s stage-winning pace by just half a second.
The outing was another highlight in a year that began with disappointment for Lawson, who was dropped from Red Bull’s main team after just two rounds.
Since returning to Racing Bulls, he has scored 20 points and sits 10 clear of the man who replaced him, Yuki Tsunoda.
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