Red Bull’s reserve driver Liam Lawson, recently expressed his disappointment at returning to his reserve role for the 2024 season. Despite this setback, the 21-year-old New Zealander is determined to make the most of his final opportunity at the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix.
In a column featured on AlphaTauri’s website, Lawson shared his perspective: “For now, as long as this lasts, I’ll focus on it, and then once I step back from F1, it’ll be full focus on preparing for the final round of the Super Formula championship at Suzuka on the weekend of the Mexican Grand Prix. It’ll be very different adjusting back to the car, but it’s certainly been useful having driven so many laps at Suzuka throughout the Grand Prix weekend.”
Liam Lawson’s unexpected debut in Formula 1 occurred when Daniel Ricciardo sustained a broken hand during practice for the Dutch Grand Prix. Already present as the reserve driver at Zandvoort, Lawson seized the opportunity and impressed everyone with his performance for AlphaTauri under challenging circumstances.
Subsequently, he participated in three more Grand Prix races in Italy, Singapore, and Japan, showcasing continuous improvement. His standout moment came at the Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore, where he clinched ninth place, securing his first-ever points in Formula 1.
One of the most remarkable feats during Liam Lawson’s brief stint with AlphaTauri was his ability to outshine the reigning world champion and teammate to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, during qualifying in Singapore. Despite these incredible accomplishments and moments of outperforming his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, it was ultimately announced that Lawson would not have a Formula 1 seat for the 2024 season.
Instead, the team favored the return of Daniel Ricciardo, leaving Lawson to resume his reserve driver duties with Red Bull. While this decision has been frustrating for the young Kiwi, he still holds on to his dream of securing a full-time Formula 1 seat.
Speaking about his future aspirations, Lawson expressed, “Right now, I’ve still got this opportunity to keep trying to show something, and I’ll try to make the most of it.”
As Liam Lawson gears up for the Qatar Grand Prix, fans and the Formula 1 community eagerly await his performance and hope to witness his determination and skill on display once again.