No reviewed report confirms that a Formula 1 driver already knew he would be sacked after exactly three races. The closest three-race match is Liam Lawson’s 2026 Red Bull appearance, which was reported as temporary injury cover for Isack Hadjar—not a dismissal. Two separate Alpine and Red Bull seat changes may also explain the claim, but neither substantiates its wording.
What happened in the closest three-race match?
Formula 1.com reported on September 22, 2026, that Lawson returned to Red Bull for three Grands Prix as a substitute while Isack Hadjar was injured. The report says Lawson scored points in two of those outings. It describes an injury-cover assignment, not a decision to sack Lawson after three races. Formula 1.com’s account of Lawson’s substitute stint does not say he privately knew he would be dismissed.
Why Lawson’s two Red Bull spells should not be confused
Lawson also had a short Red Bull stint at the start of 2025, but it was a different episode. After two difficult opening rounds, he returned to Racing Bulls and Yuki Tsunoda took his place at Red Bull. Formula 1.com reported the decision as a demotion and seat swap—not as a three-race arrangement or as something Lawson was known to have anticipated. Formula 1.com’s report on the Red Bull seat changes sets out that sequence.
What Alpine said about Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto
A second possible source of confusion is Alpine’s 2025 change from Jack Doohan to Franco Colapinto. In May 2025, Alpine said Colapinto would drive alongside Pierre Gasly for the next five races, after which the team would assess its options. That was a publicly announced five-race evaluation window, not a three-race deadline. Doohan publicly described the situation as difficult and said he would keep working with the team; the report does not establish that he knew in advance he would be removed after three races. BBC Sport’s report on Colapinto replacing Doohan includes the team’s stated plan and the drivers’ responses.
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Colapinto’s later 2026 seat
In a November 2025 interview, Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore discussed the decision to retain Colapinto for 2026 and his development with the team. Briatore said he believed Colapinto needed “three or four races” to improve; that was a comment on the driver’s learning curve, not evidence that Doohan had foreknowledge of a three-race dismissal. Formula 1.com’s interview with Briatore reports that later context.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can be concluded about the headline?
The available accounts describe three distinct events: Lawson’s two-round Red Bull stint before his 2025 demotion; Colapinto’s announced five-race Alpine evaluation in 2025; and Lawson’s three-race Red Bull injury cover in 2026. They do not establish that any driver already knew he would be sacked after exactly three races. That specific claim would require a direct, attributable account from the driver or another source with firsthand knowledge.
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