Liam Lawson will already receive a penalty in Austin
As he has just replaced Daniel Ricciardo, the New Zealander has been informed that an engine change will take place on his car at the United States Grand Prix. A situation that ultimately turns out to be beneficial for him, as he will have the opportunity to showcase even more of his talent at Red Bull.
A good news that hides a less good one. Liam Lawson has been officially designated as a Racing Bulls driver for the last six races of the season. He is replacing Daniel Ricciardo, for the second time in his career. The charismatic Australian is leaving the team after an emotional Singapore Grand Prix, where he was voted driver of the day and set the fastest race lap. However, another piece of news has disrupted this announcement: a engine penalty will be applied to Lawson’s Racing Bulls on his return to Formula 1 in Austin. Helmut Marko revealed this information to Motorsport-Total.com, a partner of Autosport, making the first weekend for the New Zealander more complicated.
A penalty that comes at the right time for Lawson?
« The first [race] will probably not be significant, as he has an engine penalty. Ten places for the sprint race, which doesn’t make things easier in Austin, Marko said. Nevertheless, this will give Lawson the opportunity to demonstrate his overtaking skills, starting from the back of the grid. Although this is his first Grand Prix this season (having replaced Ricciardo in 2023 for five races following an injury at Zandvoort), the Hastings driver will be under pressure. He will not only have to make people forget about Ricciardo, but also convince Red Bull to keep him at Racing Bulls, or even offer him a place in the main team if rumors of Sergio Perez retiring at the end of the season prove to be true. He will also have the mission of helping Racing Bulls to retain its sixth place in the constructors’ standings, facing competition from Haas and Williams.
A driver who knows how to adapt quickly
Lawson has already proven in the past his ability to quickly find his rhythm. Last year, during his third Grand Prix in Singapore, he scored points, performances that caught the attention of some Red Bull officials, including Helmut Marko. The latter had long pushed for Lawson to take Ricciardo’s place at the Faenza team, as relations between the Australian and Marko had deteriorated since Ricciardo joined Renault in 2019, despite an agreement with Red Bull. However, Ricciardo made his comeback and was retained this season, forcing Lawson to remain a reserve driver. He spent many hours in the simulator to be ready for any eventuality, an opportunity that materialized this Thursday with his call-up to Racing Bulls.
Impressive performances that have sparked interest.
Second in the German Formula 4 championship in 2018, Lawson also thanked the people who supported him throughout his journey, despite the difficulties of racing abroad. It was a great achievement. Coming from New Zealand and trying to race abroad is really difficult, especially to find the necessary funding. Fortunately, a group of people in New Zealand, sponsors, and investors supported me. Without them, it would have been impossible to go to Europe, have a season, and be noticed by a junior team.
Since he was spotted by Red Bull, the New Zealander has never left the Austrian team, thanks to his convincing results in the promotional formulas. With this new appointment at Racing Bulls, Lawson will finally have the opportunity to demonstrate all the benefits of his work in the simulator and in the Milton Keynes factory. He is now ready to face the challenges that await him, hoping to take the wheel full time as early as next year.
