What Liam Lawson has found ‘very strange’ about his 2024 season after RB snub

Follow us on Google Discover

Liam Lawson is a driver patiently waiting to land a full-time seat in Formula 1 after being denied numerous chances.

The Kiwi has acted at AlphaTauri – now RB – and Red Bull’s test and reserve driver since 2022, feeding data from the simulator back to the team.

After Daniel Ricciardo broke his wrist in a crash at Zandvoort last year, Lawson was given his F1 debut with AlphaTauri, as he replaced the Aussie from the Dutch Grand Prix to Qatar.

In his five races with the team, Lawson performed admirably, particularly at Singapore where he drove brilliantly to his first points finish with ninth place. Despite his impressive displays, Ricciardo returned to his seat in Austin and was retained by the team alongside Yuki Tsunoda for 2024.

This left Lawson back in his reserve driver role for this season. The 22-year-old has been linked with potential seats elsewhere, with him being mentioned in the running to replace Logan Sargeant at Williams.

But the Grove-based squad opted for Franco Colapinto, with Red Bull refusing to loan Lawson to a team associated with Mercedes. The Kiwi was also linked been linked with Audi, but Mattia Binotto has his eyes on Gabriel Bortoleto for the seat.

Liam Lawson opens up on his ‘very strange’ 2024 season with Red Bull

Speaking on the Talking Bull podcast, Lawson opened up on what he has found ‘very strange’ about his 2024 season.

Lawson has not competed in another championship this year and has focused his attention on his testing role with Red Bull as he waits for a 2025 seat.

Understandably, not racing this season has been ‘tricky’ for Lawson the campaign.

“Obviously as reserve I don’t do so much driving, I don’t do any racing,” he said.

“It’s actually the first time since I was probably about seven years old that I haven’t raced in a championship in a season. It’s very, very strange.

“It’s obviously part of it. It’s tricky for sure, especially because I’ve driven. I got a very short taste of Formula 1 last year and it was incredible. But obviously then I had to step back in this position and now, basically it’s a bit of a waiting game.

“It gives a different perspective, [I’m] obviously very fortunate to have done it.”

Will Liam Lawson land a Formula 1 seat for the 2025 season?

Helmut Marko promised Lawson a seat for 2025, but it is seem more and more unlikely that the Austrian’s promise will be fulfilled.

With Audi now seemingly unlikely, Lawson’s only option is with RB. Ricciardo is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with an exit from the team throughout the year.

With the pressure on the Aussie to deliver, a seat for 2025 for Lawson is still on the cards. As the season heads to Azerbaijan this weekend, it has even been suggested a decision has already been made on Ricciardo and Lawson’s future.

With RB supposedly being Red Bull’s junior team, Ricciardo is far too experienced for, nor have his performances been especially good enough for a ‘junior’ squad. Lawson fits this system to a tee and many will be hoping to see the young Kiwi on the grid next year.