Daniel Ricciardo’s season has come to an abrupt end, and in his place, 22-year-old New Zealander Liam Lawson takes the hot seat at the Red Bull-owned VCARB for the final six races of the season. With the upcoming Austin GP, a high-profile sprint weekend taking place on the 19th-20th. Taking place in October, all eyes will be on the young rider as he battles alongside Yuki Tsunoda to prove he is more than just a temporary replacement.
Lawson already caused a stir last season when he stepped in for the injured Ricciardo and impressed in his five-race campaign. Now the pressure is even higher as the New Zealander is assessed for his suitability for a potential full-time place in 2025 – with the ultimate prize of potentially having a long-term future at Red Bull. But this isn’t a comfortable audition.
“A soft landing?” – Horner comments
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner offered Lawson a dose of reality while speaking on the F1 Nation podcast. “He’ll get an engine penalty in Austin anyway,” Horner revealed, referring to the 10-place grid penalty that Lawson will inherit from Ricciardo’s exceeded power unit quota. “So he has a bit of a soft landing or soft reintroduction. But of course he will be compared to his teammate.”
All eyes on the Tsunoda rivalry
This punishment might give Lawson some breathing room, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. He will have to compete with Yuki Tsunoda, who has stepped up his game significantly this year. “It will be fascinating to see how quickly he adapts, how quickly he gets to grips with it,” Horner added, clearly eager to see if Lawson can reproduce the speed he showed last season.
Lawson knows the gravity of the situation all too well. In an interview with the New Zealand Herald he acknowledged: “I have to perform and nothing is set in stone.” This is his moment to shine or risk disappearing into the background of the F1 paddock.
The Way Forward: Sink or Swim?
The pressure cooker heats up. Lawson isn’t just fighting for the remaining six races – he’s fighting for his F1 future. With an engine penalty already setting him back in Austin, he will have to push harder than ever to prove he belongs on the grid in 2025. Will the Kiwi sensation seize this golden opportunity, or will the weight of expectations prove too heavy to bear?
Fasten your seatbelts because this F1 rookie’s journey just got a lot more intense.
