Liam Lawson | AlphaTauri F1 reserve driver 2024 (2024)

Early Career of Liam Lawson

Lawson embarked on his motorsport journey at the age of seven, starting with karting. His career encompassed participation in various championships in New Zealand, securing two national titles in 2014. Transitioning to motorsport in 2015, he competed in the New Zealand Formula First Manfield Winter Series with the Sabre Motorsport team. Claiming one victory and achieving nine additional podium finishes, he secured the second position in the championship. Lawson also contested races for Sabre in the primary championship of this class, winning a race and achieving two podium finishes, ultimately concluding as the top rookie in sixth place in the standings. In 2016, he made the move to the New Zealand F1600 Championship Series, clinching the title as the youngest champion in the history of the championship with fourteen victories and a second-place finish in fifteen races.

Liam Lawson F4 & F3

In 2017, Lawson took part in the Australian Formula 4 Championship with Team BRM. Securing victory in five races and achieving podium placements in seven additional races, he concluded the season in second place with 300 points. Towards the end of the year, he participated in the Mazda Road to Indy Shootout, emerging as the fastest contender but ultimately losing the scholarship to Keith Donegan.

Making the move to Europe in 2018, Lawson joined the Van Amersfoort Racing team for the ADAC Formula 4 Championship. With three wins and six additional podium finishes, he finished as the runner-up in the standings, accumulating 234 points. During the same year, he made his debut in Formula 3, competing in the Asian Formula 3 Championship with the Pinnacle Motorsport team. Displaying dominance in the final race weekend, he secured an eighth-place finish in the standings with 75 points.

Liam Lawson's Formula 3 career

In 2019, Lawson commenced the season in the New Zealand Toyota Racing Series with the M2 Competition team. Claiming victory in five races and securing podium positions in six others, he clinched the championship title with 356 points. Additionally, he made his debut in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with the MP Motorsport team and participated in the Euroformula Open with the Motopark team. In FIA Formula 3, he achieved two podium finishes, concluding the season in eleventh place with 41 points. In the Euroformula Open, he secured four wins and finished second in the standings with 179 points.

Returning to the Toyota Racing Series in 2020 with M2 Competition, Lawson won five races and earned podium placements in five additional races, securing a second-place finish in the standings with 356 points. That year, he continued his journey in FIA Formula 3 with the Hitech Grand Prix team, claiming victory in three races and finishing fifth in the final standings with 143 points.

Liam Lawson F2

In 2021, Lawson made the transition to Formula 2 while maintaining his partnership with Hitech. Additionally, he debuted in the DTM with the AF Corse team, driving a Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020. In Formula 2, he secured his maiden victory, which turned out to be his sole win of the season. Despite this, he added two more podium finishes and concluded the season in ninth place with 103 points. In the DTM, he achieved three victories and stood on the podium seven more times. However, he narrowly finished as the runner-up in the championship, falling just three points short of the champion Maximilian Götz.

Liam Lawson F1

Lawson continued in Formula 2 in 2022 but switched to the Carlin team. He won four races and achieved six other podium finishes, resulting in a third place in the final standings with 149 points. He also made his Formula 1 debut during the first free practice for the Belgian Grand Prix, where he replaced Pierre Gasly at AlphaTauri. He finished the session in nineteenth place. He also drove the first free practice at the Grand Prix weekends in Mexico and in Abu Dhabi. He did this in Max Verstappen's Red Bull car.

In 2023, Lawson made the switch to Super Formula, supported by Red Bull and competing for Team Mugen. In addition, he is a test and reserve driver for both AlphaTauri and Red Bull Racing in 2023.

Liam Lawson replaces Daniel Ricciardo

Liam Lawson gives up his spot to Daniel Ricciardo

Liam Lawson put on an impressive performance during his brief stint with AlphaTauri, participating in four races. The New Zealander outperformed his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, in three of these four races and even earned two valuable points for the Italian team. However, his season was cut short when Daniel Ricciardo made his return during the United States Grand Prix.

Future prospects for Liam Lawson

Red Bull has confirmed Liam Lawson's role as a reserve driver for AlphaTauri in the 2024 season. What the future holds for this New Zealander in Formula 1 after the 2024 season remains uncertain.