Liam Lawson, the reserve driver for the RB team, expressed his frustration at not being able to compete in Formula 1 in 2024 after his impressive performances last season. Lawson had the opportunity to make his F1 debut when Daniel Ricciardo was unable to race due to an injury. In a situation similar to Oliver Bearman in Saudi Arabia, Lawson had only one hour of practice before qualifying. Despite the challenging conditions, Lawson drove flawlessly and capitalized on AlphaTauri’s success to secure his first points with a ninth-place finish in Singapore. However, he was not chosen for a full-time position in Red Bull’s second team this season, as Ricciardo retained his seat alongside Yuki Tsunoda. Lawson reflected on his experiences, acknowledging that they have given him confidence in his abilities, but also increased his frustration at not being able to drive in Formula 1.
Both Ricciardo and Tsunoda are in a race to secure an extension of their contracts with Red Bull. Helmut Marko, a team consultant, hinted that Lawson is being considered for a promotion. Ricciardo is eyeing Perez’s position at Red Bull, but has been warned that he needs to improve after a disappointing start to the season. Marko assured Ricciardo that his time will come, but also mentioned that they have contracts with Perez, Tsunoda, and Ricciardo until the end of 2024. Despite Marko’s statement, Lawson revealed that he has not received any assurance about his position within the Red Bull team and his chances of securing a spot in F1. He remains hopeful and ready for any opportunity that may arise. According to the FIA regulations implemented since 2021, each team must provide an FP1 session for a rookie driver during the season. However, a rookie is defined as a driver with a maximum of two starts in Grand Prix, which means Lawson is not eligible to represent Red Bull or RB. Although he will not drive the RB20 or VCARB01 unless selected for a specific weekend, Lawson still considers himself a rookie in F1. For the current season, Lawson will mainly focus on simulator work and will be present at all races as a reserve driver.
