Latest Liam Lawson News - Formula1News.co.uk https://formula1news.co.uk/tag/liam-lawson/ Latest F1 News, Driver Moves & Analysis Tue, 27 Jan 2026 03:40:32 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://formula1news.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Latest Liam Lawson News - Formula1News.co.uk https://formula1news.co.uk/tag/liam-lawson/ 32 32 Liam Lawson Net Worth and Salary Ahead of 2026 F1 Season https://formula1news.co.uk/liam-lawson-net-worth-and-salary-ahead-of-2026-f1-season/ Tue, 27 Jan 2026 03:40:27 +0000 https://formula1news.co.uk/?p=35390 Liam Lawson enters the 2026 Formula One pre-season as one of the most discussed young drivers on the grid, not only for his racing future but also for the steady financial growth that has followed his rise through the sport. From karting in New Zealand to competing at the highest level with Racing Bulls, Lawson’s career reflects the reality that success in Formula One is built gradually, both competitively and financially. As of the 2026 pre-season, Liam Lawson’s net worth is estimated to sit between $1.5 million and $2 million, with some projections placing him slightly above that depending on

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Liam Lawson enters the 2026 Formula One pre-season as one of the most discussed young drivers on the grid, not only for his racing future but also for the steady financial growth that has followed his rise through the sport. From karting in New Zealand to competing at the highest level with Racing Bulls, Lawson’s career reflects the reality that success in Formula One is built gradually, both competitively and financially.

As of the 2026 pre-season, Liam Lawson’s net worth is estimated to sit between $1.5 million and $2 million, with some projections placing him slightly above that depending on bonus structures and sponsorship renewals.

His wealth was estimated at around $1.5 million in August 2023, before he became fully established in Formula One. Since then, his full-time contract, increasing commercial exposure, and continued presence in the Red Bull driver ecosystem have strengthened his financial position.

For a driver still early in his Formula One journey, this places Lawson on a solid foundation. While his net worth remains far below that of established champions, it reflects steady progress rather than instant financial success.

Liam Lawson Net Worth & Bio

His wealth comes from several interconnected sources:

  • Formula One base salary
  • Performance and points bonuses
  • Sponsorship agreements
  • Branding and promotional activity

Who Is Liam Lawson

Liam Lawson is a 23-year-old professional racing driver from Hastings, New Zealand. He began kart racing competitively at the age of six and quickly showed promise. One of the most influential figures in his development was Ken Smith, a three-time winner of the New Zealand Grand Prix, who helped guide Lawson through the early stages of his career.

Lawson won the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship in 2016–17 and later claimed the Toyota Racing Series title in 2019. That same year, he joined the Red Bull Junior Team, placing him among a select group of drivers being groomed for Formula One. After progressing through Formula 3 and Formula 2, he eventually secured his place in Formula One and was promoted to a full-time role with Racing Bulls in 2025.

Known for his aggressive but calculated driving style, Lawson has earned respect for his ability to adapt quickly and deliver under pressure.

Liam Lawson Net Worth In 2026

Lawson’s net worth reflects the transition from junior racing, where drivers often spend money to compete, into Formula One, where racing becomes a true profession. When he was in Formula 2, Lawson once joked that he had made no money at all and had a net worth of zero. At the time, it was a realistic statement. Junior drivers rely heavily on sponsors, personal funding, and family backing.

Once Lawson reached Formula One, his financial reality changed instantly. Salaries, bonuses, and sponsorship income began replacing the financial strain of junior competition.

By the 2026 pre-season, his net worth represents:

  • Multiple seasons of Formula One income
  • Stable sponsorship backing
  • Growing brand value
  • Long-term earning potential

His wealth is expected to rise sharply if he secures a long-term position on the grid.

Liam Lawson Salary

Although teams do not publicly disclose driver salaries, paddock insiders suggest Liam Lawson earns between $800,000 and $1 million per year as a full-time Racing Bulls driver. This places him among the lower-paid Formula One drivers, which is typical for younger racers still proving themselves.

However, even at this level, the salary represents a major financial milestone. Many drivers never reach Formula One and spend their careers funding competition rather than being paid to race.

His annual earnings are made up of:

  • Guaranteed base salary
  • Bonuses for championship points
  • Contract incentives tied to performance
  • Sponsor-linked payments

Bonuses And Performance Income

Formula One contracts often include additional payments tied to results. While Lawson has yet to achieve a podium finish, he has scored points across his career, including historic achievements such as becoming one of only a handful of New Zealand drivers to score in Formula One.

These points typically carry financial bonuses. They also raise a driver’s commercial value, making sponsors more willing to invest in their image.

Lawson’s bonuses are likely linked to:

  • Finishing within the points
  • Championship ranking
  • Team performance benchmarks

Sponsorship And Brand Support

Liam Lawson’s career has been supported by a strong group of sponsors. His publicly listed partners include Racing Bulls, Rodin Cars, Giltrap Group, Turners Automotive Group, Porter Group, BGW Wheels, Bell Helmets, and the Tony Quinn Foundation.

These sponsors contribute to his income while also strengthening his profile outside racing.

Key sponsorship areas include:

  • Automotive manufacturing
  • Motorsport equipment
  • Heavy industry
  • Brand development

His sponsors also reflect New Zealand’s strong backing of its elite sporting talent.

Personal Background And Lifestyle

Lawson stands at 174 cm and weighs 72 kg. He was born in New Zealand and lived there until his mid-teens before moving to Europe to pursue his single-seater career. As of 2026, he is based in England, close to the heart of Formula One operations.

His family played a critical role in his rise, even selling their home in New Zealand to support his early racing career. That sacrifice remains one of the defining aspects of his story.

His journey shows that success in Formula One is rarely built on money alone. It requires belief, commitment, and long-term sacrifice.

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Alan Permane Hails Liam Lawson Despite Red Bull Axe https://formula1news.co.uk/alan-permane-hails-liam-lawson-despite-red-bull-axe/ Thu, 01 Jan 2026 18:43:22 +0000 https://formula1news.co.uk/?p=35377 Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane believes Liam Lawson showed flashes of “genius” during a difficult 2025 Formula 1 campaign. The New Zealander’s season was defined by upheaval, pressure, and a gradual climb back into form. Lawson, 23, was promoted to Red Bull at the start of the year but was swiftly demoted just two races into the season. Struggles to adapt to the demanding RB21 left him vulnerable during the opening rounds. The setback followed an already fragmented introduction to Formula 1. Liam Lawson had previously stepped in mid-season for Daniel Ricciardo in both 2023 and 2024, denying him

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Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane believes Liam Lawson showed flashes of “genius” during a difficult 2025 Formula 1 campaign.

The New Zealander’s season was defined by upheaval, pressure, and a gradual climb back into form.

Lawson, 23, was promoted to Red Bull at the start of the year but was swiftly demoted just two races into the season.

Struggles to adapt to the demanding RB21 left him vulnerable during the opening rounds.

The setback followed an already fragmented introduction to Formula 1.

Liam Lawson had previously stepped in mid-season for Daniel Ricciardo in both 2023 and 2024, denying him a conventional rookie pathway.

His move to the Milton Keynes-based senior team was meant to be different.

An uninterrupted winter and full pre-season programme were expected to give him stability for the first time.

That opportunity disappeared when Red Bull opted to switch Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda early in the campaign.

The decision left Lawson without the benefit of winter testing continuity or deep integration with a new engineering group.

Starting from behind, Lawson needed several races to approach the pace of his new Racing Bulls team-mate Isack Hadjar.

The gap only began to close around the Monaco Grand Prix.

From that point onward, Lawson regularly matched the highly rated Frenchman, who is set to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2026.

Across the final 16 races of the season, Hadjar outscored Lawson by just two points.

The margin highlighted how competitive Lawson became once settled.

Strong weekends in Austria, Hungary, and Azerbaijan stood out amid a run of consistent finishes.

Those performances may have been decisive for his future in the sport.

While Tsunoda will serve as Red Bull’s reserve driver next season, Lawson has retained his Racing Bulls seat.

He will line up alongside rookie Arvid Lindblad in 2026.

Permane acknowledged that Lawson’s underlying potential was clear, even during tougher periods, according to a source.

“I really see some genius in there,” he said.

The team principal pointed to Lawson’s best races as examples of what he can deliver.

“And I think it’s down to all of us, himself included, to try and figure out, when it goes very, very well, and it does go very, very well a lot of times – you have exceptional races in Austria, in Budapest, that qualifying and race in Baku – just what’s clicking then?”

“And let’s do that across the whole season.”

For Lawson, consistency rather than raw speed now appears the key to long-term security in Formula 1.

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F1 driver and his girlfriend dubbed the ‘original Barbie and Ken’ https://formula1news.co.uk/f1-driver-and-his-girlfriend-dubbed-the-original-barbie-and-ken/ Mon, 04 Dec 2023 16:57:00 +0000 https://formula1news.co.uk/?p=33467 Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson and his long-term girlfriend, Charlotte Miller, have been dubbed as the “original Barbie and Ken”, following an Instagram post by the racing driver. Lawson took to social media to post a series of photos of himself and Miller on a beach in California, where after admiring his partner he joked that New Zealand has “better beaches than Cali”. “NZ may have better beaches than Cali but any beach with you is by far the best,” Lawson captioned a series of photos of him and his partner on Instagram. Lawson and Miller are believed to

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Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson and his long-term girlfriend, Charlotte Miller, have been dubbed as the “original Barbie and Ken”, following an Instagram post by the racing driver.

Lawson took to social media to post a series of photos of himself and Miller on a beach in California, where after admiring his partner he joked that New Zealand has “better beaches than Cali”.

“NZ may have better beaches than Cali but any beach with you is by far the best,” Lawson captioned a series of photos of him and his partner on Instagram.

Lawson and Miller are believed to have been dating since 2019, with her having supported his recent rise up the motorsport ladder.

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They’ve tended to keep their relationship as private as possible; however, this hasn’t stopped them from gaining a following.

Several fans were quick to post comments after Lawson uploaded the images of himself and Miller, with one labelling them as the iconic childrens dolls.

“The original Barbie and Ken,” one fan gushed.

The fan will likely be gushing even more when Lawson finally gets his hands on a full-time F1 seat, having competed in five races this year.

Whilst his priority this year was competing over in Japan in the Super Formula series – he ended the season as Vice-Champion – the Kiwi was promoted into an F1 seat for five races mid-season, to replace Daniel Ricciardo whilst he was injured following his hand injury.

Lawson jumped into AlphaTauri’s AT04 in Free Practice 3 at the Dutch Grand Prix and remained in the cockpit until the conclusion of the Qatar Grand Prix.

Despite his inexperience in an F1 car, Lawson was immediately fast and staggeringly progressed to Q3 at the Singapore Grand Prix, something both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez failed to do.

READ: David Coulthard adamant Lewis Hamilton isn’t performing ‘at his prime’

He went onto finish the race at the Marina Bay Circuit in ninth, in what was his best performance of his five appearances.

As the 21-year-old performed so well, most expected him to be given a full-time seat at Red Bull’s sister team for 2024; however, he’ll instead remain as the Austrians reserve driver.

The likelihood is that he will finally be offered a seat in 2025, although some ponder if he could return mid-2024 if Perez fails to perform.

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Liam Lawson to take huge Red Bull ‘gamble’ https://formula1news.co.uk/liam-lawson-to-take-huge-red-bull-gamble/ Fri, 01 Dec 2023 18:27:00 +0000 https://formula1news.co.uk/?p=33418 Ex-Formula 1 driver Karun Chandhok is expecting Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson to enter 2024 in the back-up role, rather than possibly switch to Williams. Whilst Logan Sargeant is widely expected to be kept by the Grove-based team for a second season, his seat is still yet to be confirmed, allowing rumours to continue. Two drivers have been linked to the Williams seat and Lawson is one of them, whilst the other is 2023 Formula 2 Vice-Champion Frederik Vesti. Vesti is already known by Williams team principal James Vowles, as he’s part of the Mercedes Junior programme. Want to

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Ex-Formula 1 driver Karun Chandhok is expecting Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson to enter 2024 in the back-up role, rather than possibly switch to Williams.

Whilst Logan Sargeant is widely expected to be kept by the Grove-based team for a second season, his seat is still yet to be confirmed, allowing rumours to continue.

Two drivers have been linked to the Williams seat and Lawson is one of them, whilst the other is 2023 Formula 2 Vice-Champion Frederik Vesti.

Vesti is already known by Williams team principal James Vowles, as he’s part of the Mercedes Junior programme.

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What gives Lawson the edge over Vesti is that he’s already a proven F1 points finisher and has previously progressed to Q3, something he achieved earlier this year at the Singapore Grand Prix.

In fact, Lawson qualified ahead of both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at the Marina Bay Circuit.

The Kiwi is viewed very highly by Red Bull and is almost certain to get a seat at AlphaTauri in 2025 or perhaps even earlier depending on how Sergio Perez performs.

Perez is set to enter 2024 as a Red Bull driver, with the Austrians keen to respect his contract.

However, it’s been reported that Red Bull wouldn’t be afraid to drop the Mexican mid-season next year, if he fails to perform consistently.

Should this happen, then Daniel Ricciardo would be the favourite to be promoted from the sister team, opening up a spot at the Faenza-based side for Lawson.

There’s no guarantee though, that Perez will be dropped mid-2024, meaning that it would be a “gamble” for Lawson.

However, it’s a gamble Chandhok expects Lawson to take, with the former driver tipping the 21-year-old to reject an offer from Williams if one is presented to him.

READ: Max Verstappen gets booed

“I don’t think Lawson will take the Williams opportunity because he genuinely is keeping an eye on that Red Bull thing,” Chandhok told the Sky Sports F1 podcast.

“What happens? Do they start the season with Checo? If that doesn’t work out, do they stick Daniel in the Red Bull? In which case, do they put Liam in the AlphaTauri?

“From Liam’s standpoint, he’s going, ‘Hang on a second, I might take this gamble here and not upset the Red Bull family’. Because you can’t sign with Williams, even on loan for Red Bull, and then leave mid-season – so I think he’s gambling on something opening up perhaps in the early part of next year.”

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Liam Lawson makes admission after Daniel Ricciardo replaces him https://formula1news.co.uk/liam-lawson-makes-admission-after-daniel-ricciardo-replaces-him/ Sat, 04 Nov 2023 17:57:00 +0000 https://formula1news.co.uk/?p=33014 Liam Lawson is back in the Formula 1 paddock this weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with him having been spotted in the AlphaTauri garage. The Kiwi, of course, replaced Daniel Ricciardo whilst the Australian was injured, before dropping back to the team’s reserve role when Ricciardo returned at the United States Grand Prix. In the five races he completed for AlphaTauri, Lawson was phenomenal, with his standout performance having easily been the Singapore Grand Prix, where he progressed to Q3 and scored points in the race. What was even more staggering about his Singapore qualifying performance in particular, is

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Liam Lawson is back in the Formula 1 paddock this weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with him having been spotted in the AlphaTauri garage.

The Kiwi, of course, replaced Daniel Ricciardo whilst the Australian was injured, before dropping back to the team’s reserve role when Ricciardo returned at the United States Grand Prix.

In the five races he completed for AlphaTauri, Lawson was phenomenal, with his standout performance having easily been the Singapore Grand Prix, where he progressed to Q3 and scored points in the race.

What was even more staggering about his Singapore qualifying performance in particular, is that he out-qualified both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

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Despite his heroic performances though, Lawson is back on the bench following Ricciardo’s return, a position he finds himself in for 2024 as well.

Somewhat surprisingly given how well he did for the Faenza-based squad, Lawson wasn’t offered a full-time seat for next season, meaning he’ll continue as Red Bull’s reserve driver for another season.

2025 seems like when he’ll finally receive a full-time seat at AlphaTauri, should Ricciardo be promoted to Red Bull to replace Sergio Perez.

Nevertheless, being back in the paddock but not on the grid has been “tough” for Lawson, who admits that the situation is “extremely frustrating”.

However, the young driver does “understand” why the decision has been made for him not to be on the grid next season, something which he admits makes things easier.

“Now that I’ve actually had the chance to be in it, it’s definitely a different feeling stepping back, now I know what it’s like,” Lawson told the Beyond The Grid podcast.

READ: Lewis Hamilton targeting 2023 Brazilian GP victory

“I don’t have to imagine anymore, to actually experience it has obviously been amazing and amazing for my career, but it’s a little bit tough to step back.

“I think what’s potentially helped through each scenario is, yes, it’s extremely frustrating, but I’ve been able to sit there and understand at the time of this decision, why this makes sense. That goes back to De Vries last year.

“At that point, we were having a shocking F2 season and we turned it around at the end, but it was all too late. I had a really good end to the season, I had good testing in F1, but by then the decision was made, so that’s frustrating.”

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Daniel Ricciardo makes Liam Lawson prediction https://formula1news.co.uk/daniel-ricciardo-makes-liam-lawson-prediction/ Sun, 22 Oct 2023 15:57:00 +0000 https://formula1news.co.uk/?p=32775 As Formula 1 gears up for the United States Grand Prix, Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo has conveyed a message of hope and encouragement to Red Bull junior Liam Lawson, asserting that “his time will come.”  Ricciardo, who returned to F1 action with AlphaTauri earlier in the season, shared his sentiments about Lawson’s promising career. Ricciardo began the 2023 F1 season as Red Bull’s reserve driver before making a comeback to a race seat with AlphaTauri in preparation for the Hungarian Grand Prix in July.  However, his return to the track was short-lived, with a broken hand sustained in a practice

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As Formula 1 gears up for the United States Grand Prix, Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo has conveyed a message of hope and encouragement to Red Bull junior Liam Lawson, asserting that “his time will come.” 

Ricciardo, who returned to F1 action with AlphaTauri earlier in the season, shared his sentiments about Lawson’s promising career.

Ricciardo began the 2023 F1 season as Red Bull’s reserve driver before making a comeback to a race seat with AlphaTauri in preparation for the Hungarian Grand Prix in July. 

However, his return to the track was short-lived, with a broken hand sustained in a practice crash at the Dutch Grand Prix sidelining him for the last five races. 

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During his absence, Red Bull junior Liam Lawson filled his shoes and made an impressive impact, securing AlphaTauri’s best result of the season with a ninth-place finish in Singapore.

When asked about Lawson’s performance during his absence, Ricciardo responded affirmatively, stating, “Yes. One does. 

“He did a very good job.” 

Pressed further to elaborate on his view, the 34-year-old driver offered a more detailed assessment, saying, “He did a great job, for sure.”

In terms of Lawson’s uncertain status for the upcoming season, Ricciardo emphasised that the young driver has a bright future ahead of him. 

“In terms of him currently not having a seat next year, I think it’s one of those ones where he’s young. 

“I think it’s not like he’s at the end of his career; he’s very much in the early part of his career, so just keep persisting, keep your head down,” Ricciardo advised.

Ricciardo praised Lawson for creating opportunities for himself and expressed his confidence in the Kiwi driver’s future prospects. 

READ: Red Bull’s key 2024 challenger emerges

He added, “I think he did very well to create an opportunity for himself, so I think if he keeps on that course, his time will come. That’s really it.”

The Australian driver also shared insights into the mindset of young racers and their ambitions. “We always feel as drivers, and we all obviously believe in ourselves so much that you always feel like you’re ready and [you ask yourself]: why isn’t it happening yet? 

“Your career can be very long, I guess. He’s young – he’s 21 or something – so I’m sure he’ll find a way on the grid if he keeps up what he’s been doing.”

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Red Bull urged to hire risky driver to replace Sergio Perez https://formula1news.co.uk/red-bull-urged-to-hire-risky-driver-to-replace-sergio-perez/ Fri, 20 Oct 2023 11:57:00 +0000 https://formula1news.co.uk/?p=32685 Frits Van Amersfoort has passionately advocated for Liam Lawson to join the Red Bull Formula 1 team as Max Verstappen’s teammate for the 2024 season or even sooner.  Lawson, who impressed during his brief stint as Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement at AlphaTauri, has garnered Van Amersfoort’s unwavering support and confidence. Speaking on Formule1.nl’s Paddock Chat podcast, Van Amersfoort expressed his belief in Lawson’s Formula 1 success, saying, “I did expect that, I thought he could do it because he is mentally well suited to it.”  Van Amersfoort further emphasized Lawson’s readiness to step into a competitive role, stating, “I would dare

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Frits Van Amersfoort has passionately advocated for Liam Lawson to join the Red Bull Formula 1 team as Max Verstappen’s teammate for the 2024 season or even sooner. 

Lawson, who impressed during his brief stint as Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement at AlphaTauri, has garnered Van Amersfoort’s unwavering support and confidence.

Speaking on Formule1.nl’s Paddock Chat podcast, Van Amersfoort expressed his belief in Lawson’s Formula 1 success, saying, “I did expect that, I thought he could do it because he is mentally well suited to it.” 

Van Amersfoort further emphasized Lawson’s readiness to step into a competitive role, stating, “I would dare to do that but my name is not Helmut, nor do I have the resources Helmut has at his disposal. 

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“But I would rather do that than someone who brings only history. Liam can only do well, in my opinion.”

Frits Van Amersfoort established his eponymous team in 1975, and over the years, they have become a significant presence in national and regional European racing, securing 17 championships during their illustrious history. 

Their entry into Formula 1 in 2022, participating in F2 and F3, has been marked by notable top 10 finishes in 2023, thanks to Richard Verschoor and Caio Collet’s exceptional performances.

While Lawson didn’t secure a championship during his solitary season with Van Amersfoort Racing, he impressed with a second-place finish in Germany. Subsequently, he earned an F3 seat with MP Motorsport. 

His outstanding performance at AlphaTauri, where he outperformed Yuki Tsunoda 3-1 in races, only to see his season cut short by Ricciardo’s return, has elevated Lawson’s profile within the Formula 1 community.

Speculations abound about Lawson’s future in Formula 1. 

There are rumours of a potential move to Williams to fill the only officially unconfirmed seat for the 2024 season, while Sergio Perez’s position at Red Bull remains uncertain, despite his contract running for another season.

Although Lawson faced challenges in the F1 support bill, recording finishes of 11th, fifth, ninth, and third in two seasons of F3 and F2 respectively, he found success in other racing arenas. 

His journey included becoming the champion of the Toyota Racing Series, a prestigious championship that has acted as a stepping stone for talents like Lando Norris, Lance Stroll, and Robert Shwartzman.

Following an unsuccessful stint with Red Bull in F2, Lawson ventured into Super Formula for 2023. 

Remarkably, he is in contention to become only the second non-Japanese champion in over a decade. 

As a member of the Red Bull academy since 2019, Lawson has displayed his unwavering commitment to the sport.

Van Amersfoort, reflecting on Lawson’s journey, shared, “Liam stole my heart, I think that’s such a nice chap. 

READ: Nico Rosberg picks surprising driver as Sergio Perez’s replacement

“He totally lives for the sport. I believe New Zealanders fit the motorsport picture perfectly, they’re like the people in motorsport in the 1970s and ’80s. 

“To achieve success in motorsport, they always have to go tremendously far away. 

“[Ayrton] Senna also had to leave beautiful, warm Brazil for rainy, dark England. They have to cross that barrier and make a lot of sacrifices.”

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Team boss urges Red Bull to immediately replace Sergio Perez with this driver https://formula1news.co.uk/team-boss-urges-red-bull-to-immediately-replace-sergio-perez-with-this-driver/ Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:56:00 +0000 https://formula1news.co.uk/?p=32702 Frits van Amersfoort, Liam Lawson’s team boss from his debut ADAC Formula 4 season, has called for the Kiwi to replace Sergio Perez “right away”, having impressed since replacing Daniel Ricciardo. Lawson’s first season competing in a European F4 series came back in 2018, where he competed for Van Amersfoort Racing. The Red Bull reserve driver finished runner-up in his debut season, after claiming three wins and nine podiums in total. Van Amersfoort has, therefore, known for a very long time that Lawson is an undeniably talented driver, who is also mentally very strong. Want to work in Formula 1?

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Frits van Amersfoort, Liam Lawson’s team boss from his debut ADAC Formula 4 season, has called for the Kiwi to replace Sergio Perez “right away”, having impressed since replacing Daniel Ricciardo.

Lawson’s first season competing in a European F4 series came back in 2018, where he competed for Van Amersfoort Racing.

The Red Bull reserve driver finished runner-up in his debut season, after claiming three wins and nine podiums in total.

Van Amersfoort has, therefore, known for a very long time that Lawson is an undeniably talented driver, who is also mentally very strong.

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Lawson proved this after replacing Ricciardo from Free Practice 3 onwards at the Dutch Grand Prix, following the Australian’s crash in the earlier practice session which fractured a metacarpal in his left hand.

The 21-year-old went onto remain in Ricciardo’s seat up until the conclusion of the Qatar Grand Prix, with the eight-time race winner set to return to his cockpit at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix.

Despite AlphaTauri’s AT04 being the worst car on the grid, Lawson settled into it and into Formula 1 quicker than anyone could’ve imagined.

He remarkably progressed to Q3 in Singapore and went onto finish ninth in the race at the Marina Bay Circuit, on just his second full Grand Prix appearance.

Lawson was an immediate match for Yuki Tsunoda, convincing many that the Kiwi would be given the Japanese driver’s seat for 2024.

Instead, Lawson will remain as Red Bull’s reserve driver next season, much to the disappointment of many.

Incredibly, Van Amersfoort believes Lawson shouldn’t even need to wait for a seat at the Red Bull sister outfit and should instead go straight into the factory team to replace Perez.

The Dutchman isn’t surprised at all that Lawson made an instant impact and thinks he’s the ideal driver to take Perez’s spot.

READ: Lando Norris sets McLaren target

“I did expect that, I thought he could do it because he is mentally well suited to it,” Van Amersfoort said, as reported by The Mirror.

When asked if the Kiwi should take Perez’s spot, Van Amersfoort didn’t hesitate in saying: “Right away.”

The Dutchman added: “He starts in the car in the same way as Max. I would dare to do that but my name is not Helmut, nor do I have the resources Helmut has at his disposal.

“But I would rather do that than someone who brings only history. Liam can only do well, in my opinion.”

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AlphaTauri reveal why Liam Lawson was snubbed https://formula1news.co.uk/alphatauri-reveal-why-liam-lawson-was-snubbed/ Sat, 14 Oct 2023 10:57:00 +0000 https://formula1news.co.uk/?p=32419 AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer has revealed that Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson wasn’t given a seat for 2024 as the team can’t have “two young” drivers in order to move forwards, with the Kiwi instead going to put pressure on Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo to perform. Despite having performed brilliantly since replacing the injured Ricciardo at the Dutch Grand Prix from Free Practice 3 onwards, there is no room on the grid for the young star next season. Given how quickly he adjusted to the AT04 and Formula 1, most expected him to perhaps take Tsunoda’s seat, with

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AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer has revealed that Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson wasn’t given a seat for 2024 as the team can’t have “two young” drivers in order to move forwards, with the Kiwi instead going to put pressure on Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo to perform.

Despite having performed brilliantly since replacing the injured Ricciardo at the Dutch Grand Prix from Free Practice 3 onwards, there is no room on the grid for the young star next season.

Given how quickly he adjusted to the AT04 and Formula 1, most expected him to perhaps take Tsunoda’s seat, with Ricciardo’s “expertise” being highly valued at the Faenza-based squad.

Instead, it’s another year on the bench at Red Bull for Lawson, although Bayer has acknowledged that he’s doing an “excellent job”.

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There is no doubting that Lawson is going to be a full-time F1 driver in the future, perhaps as soon as 2025, especially as Ricciardo is tipped to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull when the Mexican’s deal expires.

Lawson’s performance at the Singapore Grand Prix is what’s really resulted in his market value to skyrocket, as he made it to Q3 and then scored points at one of the toughest venues on the calendar.

Tsunoda’s solid progression over the last three years has convinced AlphaTauri to retain the Japanese driver over promoting Lawson though, with the Red Bull sister team believing that Tsunoda is close to being at his very best.

“We had lots of discussions about the future of the team and our shareholders said, ‘we want you to continue and educate young drivers, but we also want you to be successful’,” Bayer said, as reported by Pitpass.com.

“I think, ultimately, you can’t have both,” Bayer insisted. “You can’t have two young – inverted commas – drivers in the team. And we were looking at what do we need to deliver that purpose and we finally came to the conclusion that, first of all, we only have two seats and Daniel is offering a lot of expertise, especially when it comes down to the set-up of the car, which is something that we were struggling with.

“Yuki, over the years has grown and is now coming to the pinnacle of his performance curve. So we thought that those two make the right team.

“On top of that, I think it’s also good to have somebody like Liam just behind them to keep the fire warm under their seats and to make sure that we progress as a team.”

Whilst the recent Qatar Grand Prix was more challenging for Lawson, he’s stunned a lot of people since replacing Ricciardo in Zandvoort.

Ricciardo is predicted to return at the upcoming United States Grand Prix next weekend; however, Bayer believes that everyone can agree that Lawson has done brilliantly.

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“I think everybody will agree that,” Bayer said. “You know, his baptism in Zandvoort was incredibly challenging. And with, you know, the rain and the track being a difficult track and he mastered it, and he kept performing.

“He’s done an excellent job working with the engineers. You can hear him… Well, actually, you don’t hear him because he’s listening. And then he’s improving lap by lap. He’s a very quick learner.

“He’s fighting. And I really have to say, I admire what he did in Singapore. His car seemed to be double as wide as the others.

“And I called him Liam the Lion afterwards, because I thought that was an impressive performance. And he keeps delivering, so very happy to have him on board as part of the family.”

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Daniel Ricciardo reveals major misconception in interview with crypto company https://formula1news.co.uk/daniel-ricciardo-reveals-major-misconception-in-interview-with-crypto-company/ Thu, 12 Oct 2023 07:59:41 +0000 https://formula1news.co.uk/?p=32371 Daniel Ricciardo, known for his iconic ‘high-performance athlete’ quote, has reiterated his stance on Formula 1 drivers being considered athletes.  The debate over whether F1 drivers can be classified as athletes has lingered for decades, akin to discussions about sports such as snooker and darts.  While opinions on this matter may vary, AlphaTauri driver Ricciardo firmly asserts that he and his F1 colleagues undeniably fall into the category of athletes. Formula 1 drivers face rigorous physical demands, requiring exceptional strength and endurance to withstand the intense heat within the cockpit and maintain control of their vehicles, hurtling at speeds exceeding

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Daniel Ricciardo, known for his iconic ‘high-performance athlete’ quote, has reiterated his stance on Formula 1 drivers being considered athletes. 

The debate over whether F1 drivers can be classified as athletes has lingered for decades, akin to discussions about sports such as snooker and darts. 

While opinions on this matter may vary, AlphaTauri driver Ricciardo firmly asserts that he and his F1 colleagues undeniably fall into the category of athletes.

Formula 1 drivers face rigorous physical demands, requiring exceptional strength and endurance to withstand the intense heat within the cockpit and maintain control of their vehicles, hurtling at speeds exceeding 200mph. 

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They follow strict training regimens that encompass strength training, core conditioning, flexibility exercises, and cardiovascular workouts to meet these demands.

During an interview with crypto company OKX, Ricciardo reaffirmed his position on this matter, stating, “Misconception. 

“We probably don’t have the biggest muscles in the world because we have to be very lightweight. 

“I can speak from experience that I’ve jumped out of the car on several occasions, saying, ‘That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.’ 

“So, athletes, baby.”

Ricciardo, who is poised to make his return at the United States Grand Prix in Austin after recovering from an injury sustained at Zandvoort, has been temporarily replaced by AlphaTauri substitute Liam Lawson. 

READ: Lance Stroll fumes at FIA stewards as he brands them a ‘joke’

During Ricciardo’s absence, Lawson has not only filled in capably but has occasionally outperformed Yuki Tsunoda, contributing valuable points to the team.

Despite his strong performance so far this season, Lawson won’t be in the F1 driving seat in 2024, as AlphaTauri announced it will stick with Ricciardo and Tsunoda next year.

However, with Sergio Perez’s future still in doubt after a string of disappointing outings, Lawson might be eyeing a shot at Red Bull Racing.

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