It’s a New Zealander who replaced Australian Daniel Ricciardo on the Formula 1 grid, and he’s looking to make the most of another chance to impress.
Now that Ricciardo and his eternal smile are gone at RB, Liam Lawson begins a six-race sprint between now and the end of the campaign to demonstrate that he has the talent to secure his full-time Formula 1 drive in 2025.
And not just with RB. There is also the possibility of an opening in the big Red Bull team alongside three-time champion Max Verstappen, if it decides to get rid of Mexican driver Sergio Perez.
The goal, Lawson said Thursday, is to start scoring points as quickly as possible during a race weekend that includes the first Saturday sprint race from Austria in June.
“That’s what the team will judge me on, on my performance. And the best way to do that is to score points. And also for the team to fight for (sixth place) in the constructors’ championship,” Lawson mentioned.
Ricciardo was one of the most popular and likeable drivers in F1. He often made a big impression during race weekends in Austin, riding horses in the pits, wearing cowboy hats, giving interviews with an exaggerated Western accent or wearing University of Texas Longhorns jerseys.
The Australian has provided laughs but few results since joining the team midway through the 2023 season. Ricciardo had scored points just three times in his last 18 races.
Ricciardo’s departure gives Lawson something of a second try. He competed in five races for RB – then called AlphaTauri – last season when Ricciardo broke his hand. He was then sidelined when Ricciardo returned.
Lawson was sitting in the pits this season as a reserve driver for Red Bull, until he received this new call-up. Formula 1 returns this week after a four-week break. The final six races will take place within just eight weeks of each other.
“It’s a tough time to start the season…I’m just trying to be as ready as possible,” Lawson said.
Red Bull Racing could have several options for 2025.
Until he is dethroned, Verstappen remains F1’s standard bearer. But Perez underperformed for a second straight year. His dismal season was one of the main reasons why Red Bull now trails McLaren in the constructors’ championship.
The poor results have left Perez facing constant speculation that he could be replaced, despite signing a contract extension until 2026 in June.
That means Lawson isn’t the only one with a chance to impress. His teammate at RB, Japanese Yuki Tsunoda, will likely see the final segment of the 2024 season as his own chance to shine.
The Lawson-Tsunoda battle at RB will be closely watched. Lawson got the better of Tsunoda on two occasions last season, in all three races in which both cars crossed the finish line.
“Last year, Liam was fast from the start,” observed Red Bull chief executive Christian Horner. He’s a tough driver and adapts very well… We know Yuki is a very, very fast driver. »
Lawson is likely to start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid, due to a significant penalty awarded to Ricciardo for the number of engines already used. Lawson must take the penalty because penalties are awarded to the car, not the driver.
Still, Lawson indicated he was ready to take on Tsunoda and the pack.
“Yuki has done a really good job in the last two years, especially this year,” Lawson noted. He is the point of comparison, because he is obviously the only one in the same car as me. I will be directly compared to him. The expectation of (the team) is to compete alongside him. »
