F1 driver takes to the motocross track for winter training

F1 driver Liam Lawson has taken to a motocross track during the off-season, riding a GasGas in his time off before the 2026 season starts.

Lawson’s 2025 season began at Red Bull, but he was quickly demoted to the Racing Bulls team after a tough opening couple of rounds. Over the second half of the season especially, he was able to recover some of the form and confidence that got him the Red Bull drive in the first place, taking two points finishes in the final four races, but he was largely outperformed by his rookie teammate, Isack Hadjar, who in 2026 is the latest young driver to be placed next to Max Verstappen.

It’s not entirely unusual for F1 drivers to take an enjoyment in motorcycles. Daniel Ricciardo, for example, was always known as a fan of bike racing and even spent time one winter with then-factory Kawasaki AMA Supercross rider Adam Cianciarulo at the test track.

Actually taking to the track is something a bit more unique, especially in the modern era. We’re not clued up enough on Kiwi motocross tracks to know where Lawson has headed to for his off-season riding, but he’s aboard a fabulously factory-looking GasGas MC 250F. The Red Bull stickers really give it a De Carli look, evoking memories of Simon Laengenfelder’s run to the 2025 MX2 World Championship aboard a GasGas, or even Jorge Prado’s two MXGP titles with the brand in 2023 and 2024.

Lawson is not the only F1 driver to have hit the dirt this off-season, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton having taken to the hills on a KTM XC-F 250.

Both Hamilton and Lawson will begin their F1 2026 preseason preparations at the end of the month when the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hosts five days of private testing from 26–30 January.

Two public tests then take place in Bahrain in February before the first round in Australia on 6–8 March.