Damon Hill suspects Liam Lawson is keeping ‘something’ to himself after interviewing him

Follow us on Google Discover

Liam Lawson will be the centre of attention when the Formula 1 paddock reconvenes for media day at the United States Grand Prix on Thursday. Lawson has replaced Daniel Ricciardo at RB for the final six races.

RB announced the driver swap at the end of September but this will be the first chance for the wider media to question Christian Horner and co. on the decision. Inevitably, Lawson will be asked about his predecessor too.

But looking forward, there will also be conversations about the 2025 Red Bull line-ups. Officially, Lawson is only driving for the junior team until the end of the season.

It may well be that he stays put alongside Yuki Tsunoda. But equally, an impressive run of races will put Sergio Perez under extreme pressure.

Perez needs to come close to the form he showed in Azerbaijan (the only race this season where he’s outqualified Max Verstappen) to ensure he holds onto his drive. But there’s little evidence to suggest he can do that.

Last year, Lawson stepped into what was then the AlphaTauri for five races after Ricciardo broke his hand. He was instantly quick, and he’ll feel far more prepared for this stint.

Damon Hill says Liam Lawson takes ‘very serious’ approach to interviews

Lawson appeared on the F1 Nation podcast this week ahead of his return to the grid. 1996 world champion Damon Hill was struck by his demeanour.

The 22-year-old is ‘business-like’ in his media duties, he says, and Red Bull will welcome that mindset. By contrast, Ricciardo was known for going off-script in his interviews.

Lawson presents himself as a ‘professional racing driver’ rather than letting his own personality show. And this demonstrates how ‘seriously’ he views the task ahead.

Hill said: “I felt like he keeps something back. He’s not telling us about all himself. I think he wants to get on with the job. He knows his life that his life is dedicated to driving and being a professional racing driver. He fulfilled that in the interview. He showed that he was serious.

“He’s business-like. He’s not there to mess around. He came across as a very serious contender, and that’s good. That’s what you want. You want a guy who wants to get on with the job.”

What Helmut Marko said to Liam Lawson in ‘cutthroat’ 6am phone calls

Martin Brundle can see Lawson replacing Perez if he delivers between now and Abu Dhabi. He wasn’t racing at all in September, but by the end of the year, he could be unveiled as the world champion’s partner.

A 10-place grid penalty for an engine component will reduce some of the pressure this weekend. But Red Bull will still be closely monitoring his single-lap pace and race craft as he tries to recover on Sunday.

The pressure is extreme, even by Red Bull standards, but Lawson is used to it. He’s been part of their driver programme since 2019.

The ‘cutthroat’ Helmut Marko threatened Lawson with the axe during those days every time he had a poor weekend. He ‘struggled’ with this management style at the time, but feels stronger for it now.