Liam
Lawson
New Zealand
·
Junior Formula Series
Date of birth | February 11, 2002 |
|---|---|
Birthplace | Hastings, New Zealand |
Age | 23 |
Nationality | New Zealand |
Career start | 2015 |
Disciplines | Formula 1 |
Liam Lawson is one of the most prodigious talents in the current Red Bull Junior Team driver development program. He's won on his debut in every category he's raced: Formula First, Formula Ford, Formula Four, Formula Three Asia and the Toyota Racing Series, which he won overall in 2019 – that's an impressive list of achievements for someone who hadn't even turned 17!
Lawson hit the big time in the 2016-17 season, when he won the NZ F1600 Championship Series in his home country of New Zealand.
Fast forward to 2020 and Lawson had scored his first big junior victory, at the European Formula Three Championship in Spielberg, Austria. He followed that up with a third-place finish at the 70th Anniversary edition of the British Grand Prix in Silverstone and first at the final race of the season in Mugello, Italy.
Finishing the 2020 season in fifth place overall, Lawson took the opportunity to race a dual campaign in 2021, with seats in both F2 and DTM with AF Corse. He scored his first win of the season in the opening race of the F2 season in Bahrain and excelled in the DTM Championship, eventually finishing as runner-up in his rookie campaign behind the wheel of a Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020.
For the 2022 season, Lawson competed in the FIA Formula 2 Championship and enjoyed an excellent campaign with Carlin. Four victories and numerous podium finishes helped the Kiwi driver secure third place overall, while he was also promoted to reserve driver for Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri.
Seeking a new challenge for 2023, Lawson competed in the Super Formula Championship with Team Mugen and became the first driver in the history of the series to win on his debut. He would secure two more victories and finish second in the overall standings.
The Kiwi driver would also make his Formula One debut, stepping in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at Scuderia AlphaTauri for the Dutch Grand Prix and finishing an impressive 13th. He would go on to race another four times, with his best result a ninth-place finish in Singapore.
After an impressive showing in F1, Lawson is now serving as a reserve driver for Oracle Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App RB (formerly Scuderia AlphaTauri) for the 2024 season.
It was announced after the Singapore Grand Prix that Lawson was chosen to replace Daniel Ricciardo to race the final six rounds of the season for Oracle Red Bull Racing, starting from the United States Grand Prix.
Liam Lawson drives for Racing Bulls in 2026
© Getty Images
Lawson picked up his first F1 points at the 2023 Singapore GP
© Clive Rose/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Liam Lawson is all set at Suzuka
© Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Lawson's best F1 finish to date came at 2025's Austrian GP
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool