Introducing Liam Lawson: The Promising Newcomer in Formula 1

Welcome to our latest article, where we delve into the early Formula 1 careers of the six rookies set to make their mark in 2025. Today, we’re focusing on a driver who has already left an indelible impression on the championship – Liam Lawson.

A Glance at Liam Lawson’s Racing Journey

Despite having 11 race starts under his belt and three points finishes as a temporary AlphaTauri/Racing Bulls driver in 2023 and 2024, it might seem unusual to consider the New Zealander as an F1 newbie. However, this year marks Lawson’s first full pre-season, making him one of the ‘rookie’ crop without any experience of the Albert Park layout.

Before his foray into Formula 2, Lawson achieved a best result of third in 2022 and was fifth in the 2020 Formula 3 championship. His 2021 F2 season was complemented by a DTM campaign that ended in a controversial defeat to Maximilian Gotz after two clashes instigated by his title rival, Kelvin van der Linde. Lawson also secured the runner-up position in Super Formula in 2023.

Despite not winning these titles, Lawson’s performances were impressive enough to catch the attention of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and motorsport advisor Helmut Marko. It was his impressive performances replacing the injured Daniel Ricciardo in 2023 that ensured Lawson continued on the F1 path to this point.

The latest season of ‘Drive to Survive’ showcases Lawson’s determination to impress Horner and Marko even while on the sidelines, despite not racing anything else in early 2024 before his Ricciardo-like Silverstone assessment day after the British Grand Prix last year.

During the Bahrain pre-season test, Lawson completed the second-lowest lap count of the 20 drivers – although just six fewer than Verstappen’s 155, as the third lowest total. However, his only whole day in the car came on the rain-disrupted second day, and an engine water pressure loss cost him time to complete a race simulation.

Despite these challenges, Lawson’s feedback has been well-received by Red Bull team insiders, with Horner claiming that Lawson is “working his way into the team and his feedback is good – it’s consistent with what Max is saying” on how their driving styles react with the new car’s handling.

The Impact of Liam Lawson in Formula 1

As a full-time driver in 2025, Lawson will have a different race engineer compared to Perez since 2021, with Richard Wood replacing Hugh Bird. This change was described by Horner as “a natural evolution” that would allow Wood to step up and engineer Lawson.

The change of driver will be the biggest element in cooling what had apparently become strained relations on the underperforming side of the Red Bull garage in 2024. A fresh start can just be so welcome to all parties.

Lessons Learned and Challenges Ahead

Lawson’s short, existing, F1 history offers valuable lessons for his future in the sport. One such lesson is how his aggressive driving style has rubbed some experienced drivers the wrong way.

In 2024, Lawson found himself in altercations with both Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso. While these incidents may have been over the line in terms of aggression, they demonstrate Lawson’s fearlessness at the top level with everything on the line – a trait that could serve him well as he navigates the challenges of being Verstappen’s team-mate.

As Lawson embarks on his full-time Formula 1 journey in 2025, we can expect to see more of this fearless determination and impressive driving style. Stay tuned for updates on Liam Lawson’s progress as he takes on the hardest job in racing – being Verstappen’s team-mate.