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Emerging Kiwi star Liam Lawson is the talk of Formula One right now but who knows how long he’ll be there for?
Even Lawson, who has made a monumental impression since being drafted in as a late replacement for Daniel Ricciardo just hours before the Dutch Grand Prix late last month, has “no idea” what his immediate future in F1 holds in terms of the rest of the season and more importantly, 2024.
The Kiwi’s most recent result for Scuderia AlphaTauri was a ninth-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix on Monday (NZT) – the best single result the team has achieved all season.
Monday morning’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka could well be Lawson’s final appearance in F1 this season, with Ricciardo likely to be cleared fit to return from his wrist injury in time for the Qatar Grand Prix on October 9.
Lawson may also struggle for seat time in 2024, with ESPN reporting that the under-pressure Yuki Tsunoda and the experienced Ricciardo are set to be retained as AlphaTauri’s driver line up for next season, possibly before Monday’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images
Liam Lawson has been a revelation for Scuderia AlphaTauri but that might not guarantee him a seat.
“I wouldn’t be happy to go back to being reserve but obviously I know how hard it is to get to Formula One,” Lawson has told media in Suzuka.
“And I understand that can be really, really difficult sometimes,” he said. “So what will happen will happen, but these things I haven’t really thought about too much.
“I’ve just tried to make the most of this [opportunity].”
Already earmarked for a long future in the top flight of motorsport, Lawson has only cemented those credentials in his three Grand Prix’s so far.
On just 16 hours’ notice, with only one practice session before qualifying, Lawson finished 13th on debut in the Netherlands, three spots ahead of AlphaTauri teammateTsunoda.
“I think every driver feels like they should be [on the grid],” Lawson has told media in Suzuka.
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Liam Lawson has made a big impression in his first three races in Formula 1.
“To be at this level, we all have to have self-belief and I certainly have that, but right now I’m focused on delivering these weekends.
“When the stint that I have, when it ends, I’ll look back on it and I guess assess how I’ve done, but yeah, I do believe I should be in F1,” Lawson said.
Ricciardo only contested two races before a crash during practice for the Dutch Grand Prix saw him suffer a fractured wrist.
For many aspiring young F1 drivers, the only thing harder than getting to F1 can be staying there.
Ricciardo was originally the Red Bull third driver but was drafted into one of the AlphaTauri cars for the Hungarian Grand Prix in July, to replace the underperforming Nyck de Vries.
That move promoted Lawson to be the reserve driver for the AlphaTauri team and senior Red Bull drivers’ Sergio Perez, plus defending world champion and 2023 championship leader Max Verstappen.
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