Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Liam Lawson

  • Racing Bulls reveal 2026 livery

    Racing Bulls have become one of the first F1 teams to launch their livery for the 2026 season, with the design being unveiled at a special event in Detroit.

    Held at the iconic Central Michigan train station, the launch saw both Racing Bulls and Red Bull reveal their liveries in the city known as the United States home of Ford, with the 2026 season marking the first in which Red Bull Ford Powertrain will act as power unit manufacturer for both teams.

    Driver Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad helped to reveal the livery of the 2026 challenger at the event, with 1,500 guests in attendance while fans followed the action through the livestream.

    Following the popularity of the squad’s all-white look in 2025, the team have again opted for a similar look, along with adding sleek blue accents along the contours of the chassis in a nod to the new partnership with Ford.

    This launch captures the evolution of Visa Cash App Racing Bulls as a brand and as a racing team. From having Detroit as a backdrop representing our partnership with Ford, to the creators, fans and communities we’ve brought into this launch, everything reflects our ambition to stand for being a culture-first team. We want to connect with the next generation in a way that feels authentic, bold and inclusive, and this moment marks the continuation of what we do both on and off the track.
    CEO, Peter Bayer.

    2026 represents one of the biggest technical changes Formula 1 has seen, and partnering with Ford at the very start of this journey is hugely significant for us. The Red Bull Ford Powertrains project brings together world -class engineering, innovation and racing DNA, and it puts us in a strong position as the sport enters this new era. We have been working closely together and are proud of what the Red Bull family have developed. It’s something we’re excited to have in our race car as we hit the track in the coming weeks.
    Team Principal, Alan Permane.

  • Hadjar earns Red Bull seat as Lindblad joins Racing Bulls

    Isack Hadjar will be stepping up to Red Bull in 2026 to partner Max Verstappen, with Arvid Lindblad making his Formula 1 debut with Racing Bulls alongside Liam Lawson.

    Red Bull and Racing Bulls were the only teams to have free seats for 2026, though Hadjar has long been expected to replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull alongside four-time World Champion Verstappen after a stellar rookie season.

    Hadjar has scored points in 10 Grands Prix this season, including a superb maiden podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix.

    Red Bull junior, Lindblad emerged as a candidate for promotion to Formula 1 with Racing Bulls after delivering some strong races in feeder series F2 and impressing when driving a Red Bull in Free Practice 1 outings at Silverstone and in Mexico.

    That left Tsunoda and Lawson to fight for the remaining seat at Racing Bulls, with the latter coming out on top to secure a second full campaign with the team – Lawson having replaced Daniel Ricciardo at the team midway through 2024.
    While Tsunoda loses his seat on the grid, he will remain part of the family as a reserve driver for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls in 2026.

    Yuki has raced in Red Bull colours for seven years now and I have had the pleasure of working with him at both Red Bull teams. Through his five seasons so far in Formula One, Yuki has matured into a complete racer, good over a single lap on Saturday and capable of exceptional starts and excellent race craft on Sunday. Everyone in the sport would agree it is impossible not to like Yuki, his personality is infectious, and he has become a very special part of the Red Bull family. On behalf of everyone at Red Bull, I thank him for what he has contributed so far and we know he will provide invaluable support to the 2026 projects moving forwards. As for Isack, in his first F1 season, he has displayed great maturity and proved to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has demonstrated the raw speed that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe Isack can thrive alongside Max and produce the magic on track! 2026 will be a huge challenge for the Team and for Red Bull Ford Powertrains, these are exciting times, and I am looking forward to seeing what we can do together.
    Laurent Mekies, CEO and Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing.

    I’m so grateful to Oracle Red Bull Racing for giving me the opportunity and trust to race at the highest level of Formula One. After all the hard work I have put in since joining the Junior Team, it’s such a great reward. I’ve had many ups and downs throughout my career, and they kept believing and pushing me. This year with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls has been absolutely amazing, I’ve learnt a lot and secured a maiden podium. I feel I’m much better as a racing driver and a person, due to the Team‘s support and preparation. I feel ready to go to Oracle Red Bull Racing and I am happy and proud they feel the same. It’s an awesome move, to work with the best and learn from Max is something I can’t wait for.
    Isack Hadjar on the promotion.

    Firstly, a huge congratulations to Isack. He has delivered a truly outstanding season, demonstrating exceptional race-craft and consistency well beyond his experience. He has fully earned his step up to Red Bull Racing and we wish him nothing but the best as he takes on this exciting new challenge in his career – we are proud to have been part of the journey. Liam has shown impressive performance and professionalism throughout this year, he has excelled when conditions have been at their hardest and we look forward to building on this in 2026, while Arvid’s rapid progression marks him as one of the standout young talents in the sport. Together, they form a strong and dynamic pairing, one that embodies the ambition and youthful spirit of VCARB as we enter a transformative new era for Formula 1.
    Alan Permane, Racing Bulls Team Principal.

    I’d like to thank everyone at VCARB for the opportunity. Since I started this journey at five years old, it was always my goal to be in Formula 1 so it’s a proud moment to take this step. I’m extremely grateful to the Red Bull Junior Programme and my personal team for their guidance, mentorship and belief; none of this would have been possible without their support. 2026 will be a big challenge and I know there’s a lot to learn, but I’m ready to work closely with the team and rise to it. I can’t wait to get started, it’s going to be an exciting year!
    Lindblad on joining Formula 1.

  • Tsunoda to replace Lawson at Red Bull

    Red Bull have announced that Yuki Tsunoda will replace Liam Lawson at the senior Red Bull Racing team from the Japanese Grand Prix onwards, with the 24 year old getting the nod to replace Lawson following a difficult opening two races for the New Zealander.

    Lawson raced alongside Tsunoda in the latter stages of 2024 after replacing Daniel Ricciardo at the then-name RB team, and his performances were enough to earn him a promotion to Red Bull, following the exit of Sergio Perez.

    However, Lawson struggled to get to grips with the RB21 during the Australia and China Grand Prix weekends, crashing out in the former amid treacherous conditions before crossing the line in 15th in Shanghai, which then became 12th following three disqualifications for Leclerc, Hamilton and Gasly ahead.

    Rumours then quickly mounted that the 23 year old could be replaced at the team as early as Round 3 in Japan, and now it has been confirmed that Tsunoda will fill Lawson’s seat when F1 returns to Suzuka on April 4th – 6th with Lawson returning to the Racing Bulls squad alongside rookie Isack Hadjar.

    After making his debut for the then-named AlphaTauri squad back in 2021, Tsunoda has continued to develop as a driver across the years that have followed, the Japanese driver having outscored his recent team mates including Nyck de Vries and Daniel Ricciardo.

    The 2024 season was one that Tsunoda heralded as “one of my best” after scoring 30 of his team’s 46 points across the season.
    He went on to make his test debut for Red Bull at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi – but it was subsequently confirmed that Lawson rather than Tsunoda.

    Lawson, will be returning to Racing Bulls where he will partner with rookie Isack Hadjar – the situation mirroring the cases of Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly who each returned to the sister outfit from Red Bull after three races into 2016 and 12 in 2019 respectively.

    It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and, as a result, we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch. We came into the 2025 season with two ambitions, to retain the World Drivers’ Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors’ title and this is a purely sporting decision. We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki’s experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car. We welcome him to the Team and are looking forward to seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21. We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a Team he knows very well.
    Christian Horner on the news.

    We’re incredibly proud of Yuki earning his well-deserved move to Oracle Red Bull Racing! His progress last year, and more recently from the very start of 2025, has been nothing less than sensational. Personally, and collectively, it has been an immense privilege to witness those progresses for all of us in Faenza and in Milton Keynes. Yuki’s energy and positivity has lightened up every corner of our factories and of our garage and he will always be a Racing Bull! We wish him all the success he deserves at ORBR. Everyone here at VCARB is looking forward to working hard with Liam to give him the best environment possible for him to shine in our car and to express the talent we all know he has. He fit in so well last year, and we cannot wait to challenge ourselves and grow as a team. With Isack having started so strongly with us already, we know we have a young and strong line-up.
    Laurent Mekies, Team Principal of Racing Bulls on the news.

  • Lawson confirmed for Red Bull

    Red Bull have chosen Liam Lawson to replace Sergio Perez and become Max Verstappen’s team mate this year.

    Just before Christmas it got announced that Sergio Perez will be leaving the team with immediate effect after agreeing a deal to part ways with the team despite having two years left on his contract.

    When Red Bull opted to make a change with Perez, they narrowed down the shortlist to either promoting Lawson or his RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

    New Zealander, Lawson got the nod after impressing in two super-sub stints with Red Bull’s sister team – first when he replaced the injured Daniel Ricciardo for five races towards the end of 2023, and second when he replaced Ricciardo from the United States Grand Prix onwards in 2024.

    To be announced as an Oracle Red Bull Racing driver is a lifelong dream for me. This is something I’ve wanted and worked towards since I was eight years old. It’s been an incredible journey so far. I want to say a massive thank you to the whole team at VCARB for their support, the last six races have played a huge part in my preparation for this next step. I also want to thank, Christian [Horner, Red Bull boss], Helmut [Marko, Red Bull Motorsport Adviser] and the whole Red Bull family for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I am super excited to work alongside Max and learn from a World Champion, I have no doubt I will learn from his expertise. I can’t wait to get going!
    Lawson on the news.

    I’m delighted to announce that Liam Lawson will join the team in 2025. Liam’s performances over the course of his two stints with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls have demonstrated that he’s not only capable of delivering strong results but that he’s also a real racer, not afraid to mix it with the best and come out on top. His arrival continues the Team’s long history of promoting from within the Red Bull Junior Programme and he follows in the footsteps of championship and race-winning drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and of course, Max Verstappen. There’s no doubt that racing alongside Max, a four-time champion and undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers ever seen in F1, is a daunting task, but I’m sure Liam can rise to that challenge and deliver some outstanding results for us next year.
    Christian Horner on the news.

  • Lawson to replace Ricciardo for remainder of season

    New Zealander Liam Lawson will be replacing Daniel Ricciardo at RB alongside Yuki Tsunoda for the remainder of the season.

    Red Bull and RB confirmed Ricciardo would be leaving the team and expressed their gratitude for his efforts across two stints with the Red Bull family.

    Ricciardo returned to a Formula 1 race seat last year in Hungary with AlphaTauri and stayed on when they became RB for this season.
    Ricciardo scored points on five occasions, including a superb fourth in the Sprint in Miami, and sits 14th in the drivers’ standings, 10 points behind teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

    However, his form hasn’t been enough to convince the Red Bull family to keep him on. It remains unclear what the future holds for Ricciardo but it’s very unlikely to involve a race seat on the 2025 Formula 1 grid.

    RB then announced Lawson would step up from his reserve role, which he’s held since 2022 starting with the upcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin.

    Lawson first made his Grand Prix debut at Zandvoort last year as a super sub for injured Ricciardo.
    The 22 year old delivered an impressive set of results across a five race period, including his first points with ninth at the Singapore Grand Prix.

    Everyone here at VCARB would like to thank Daniel for his hard work across the last two seasons with us. He has brought a lot of experience and talent to the Team with a fantastic attitude, which has helped everyone to develop and foster a tight team spirit. Daniel has been a true gentleman both on and off the track and never without that smile. He will be missed, but will always hold a special place within the Red Bull family. I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome Liam. He already knows the Team well. He drove for us last season, and coped well under difficult circumstances, so it’ll be a natural transition. It’s great to see young talent from within the Red Bull family make the next step. We’re looking forward to getting our heads down and focusing on the rest of the season together.
    Laurent Mekies on the news.

  • Lawson vs Ricciardo

    Red Bull’s Formula 1 advisor, Helmut Marko has hinted that Liam Lawson could replace Daniel Ricciardo at RB in 2025.

    RB’s announcement early last month that Yuki Tsunoda will be remaining with the team next season which has guaranteed that either Ricciardo or Lawson will miss out on a seat.

    While Ricciardo currently races for the team, the Australian driver has failed to extract consistent results and lies 9 points behind his teammate this season.
    So his struggles this year have dashed his chances of a dream return to the senior Red Bull team as Sergio Perez has been handed a multi-year contract extension.

    RB has admitted that retaining Ricciardo with Tsunoda would be its preference, but Marko has revealed that Red Bull shareholders are angling to see youth integrated.

    Lawson has completed several F1 outings as he deputised at five rounds last season when Ricciardo was sidelined with a broken metacarpal from a crash at Zandvoort.

    The New Zealander, who has been linked to Sauber, will be allowed to chase a move elsewhere should Red Bull not promote him, indicating Marko is referencing 2025.

    So, who will it be? Liam Lawson or Daniel Ricciardo in the VCARB… time will only tell.

    Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App RB looks on from the pitwall prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 30, 2024 in...

  • AlphaTauri confirm drivers for 2024

    Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo will form AlphaTauri’s driver line-up for 2024, with Liam Lawson set to fulfil reserve driver duties for the Italian squad and sister team, Red Bull.

    Tsunoda, who made his debut for the team in 2021 impressed the team with his “undoubtful natural talent and constant improvement” and “ability to integrate into the team”.

    The Japanese driver, will be joined by Aussie, Daniel Ricciardo who is currently on the sidelines with a broken hand but impressed the team when he raced for them in Hungary and Belgium before the summer break.

    AlphaTauri said Ricciardo’s “personal attitude and racing experience will be precious assets in 2024” the Australian having raced for the team in 2012 and 2013 when they were formely known as Toro Rosso and has since gone on to secure eight Grand Prix wins!

    Liam Lawson, has delivered three strong Grand Prix as a super sub for Ricciardo, including his first points last time out in Singapore but missed out on a full time race seat with the team for the 2024 season.

    Ricciardo is continuing his fight to return to full fitness and while he is unlikely to return next time out in Qatar, the plan remains for him to come back at some point this season but only when he feels ready.

    Meanwhile, Lawson will remain in position while Riccairdo recovers and in 2024, the New Zealander will focus on testing, simulator sessions and attending all the races full-time in his role as reserve.

    Looking at the grid for next season, there is only one seat available now and that is over at Williams alongside Alex Albon as Logan Sargeant is trying to fight and show he should have the seat.

    Next year, the technical regulations remain largely unchanged and it was therefore logical to go for continuity in our driver line-up too. I am very pleased with the development that Yuki has shown over the last two and a half years with our team and with Daniel’s great race-winning experience we will have one of the most competitive driver pairings on the grid in 2024. Peter [Bayer, AlphaTauri’s new CEO] and Laurent [Mekies, AlphaTauri’s incoming Team Principal] will have a great duo to start the new season in the right direction. As for Liam, who has impressed everyone in his races so far, he will definitely help the team in his development role as a third driver, and I’m sure he will have a future in Formula 1 soon.

    Team Principal, Franz Tost.

    I’m so happy to announce that I will be staying with Scuderia AlphaTauri for the 2024 Formula 1 season. I’m looking forward to continuing to fight and collaborate with the team and Daniel. Obviously, I’ll push as much as possible for the rest of the season and beyond, to progress as a driver. I’m grateful for Red Bull and Honda, for continuing to support and believe in me, and very happy and thankful to continue the partnership.

    Tsunoda on the news.

    I’m stoked to be driving with Yuki again next year and continuing the journey with Scuderia Alpha Tauri. Following the progress we have already made and the plans for the future, it’s an exciting time for the team. We are building and it is a great feeling. There is a lot of work to do, but we are heading in the right direction and there is a lot to look forward to. Bring on 2024!

    Ricciardo on returning to the grid.

    We are in a privileged position, where we have access to multiple great talents from the Red Bull world. This is a credit to the work that Dr [Helmut] Marko [Red Bull Motorsport Adviser] has been doing for many years. Both Daniel and Yuki have not just shown fantastic race craft but are also great global ambassadors for our team and our sport. Liam put himself in the spotlight of F1 in only three races and I am very happy that we can continue to prepare him for his future.

    Bayers on the drivers contracts.

  • Lawson confirmed until Ricciardo is ready to return

    AlphaTauri have confirmed that Liam Lawson will continue to race for the team until Daniel Ricciardo is ready to race again.

    Ricciardo broke his hand in a crash during second practice for the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday, with Red Bull junior, Liam Lawson drafted in as a last minute replacement.

    Lawson qualified 20th, but acquitted himself well in the Grand Prix, as he managed to stay out of trouble and finish 13th, despite wet weather, red flags, Safety Car restarts and a penalty making his F1 debut harder than others.

    Meanwhile, Ricciardo flew to Spain on Sunday to have surgery on his hand. Red Bull boss, Christian Horner confirmed after the race that the eight-time race winner would be out of action at least after this weekend.

    We are delighted that Daniel’s surgery went well and that he is now on the road to recovery. We hope to see him at the track again very soon, but until he is fully fit, we can confirm that Liam, who did a good job in difficult circumstances in Zandvoort, will continue to drive alongside Yuki, starting from our home race this weekend in Monza.

    The team on the news.

    It was good, it was a lot going on. When I was rolling up to the grid and it was starting to rain, it wasn’t the best feeling but the race was okay. I think the second half of the race was not so bad, once we got clean air and also on the inters at the end was not too bad. Just happy to survive.

    Lawson after the Dutch GP.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CwfljkqKswC/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

  • Lawson replaces Ricciardo after injury

    Daniel Ricciardo has been ruled out of the Dutch Grand Prix due to a broken hand sustained in a crash during Free Practice 2, which hands his spot to Liam Lawson as he has his F1 Debut with Alpha Tauri.

    Ricciardo followed Oscar Piastri into the barriers at Zandvoort’s Turn 3 in the early stages of FP2, which automatically put him out of the session.

    Replays later showed Ricciardo’s hands being thrown around in the cockpit due to him still holding the steering wheel when he impacted the wall, with the Australian visibly in discomfort when he stepped out of the car.

    Having been taken to the medical centre and then a local hospital, news then came from AlphaTauri that Ricciardo broke a metacarpal on his left hand, and will not be able to take part in what would have been the third race since his F1 comeback.

    In his place steps Lawson, the 21 year old reserve driver for Red Bull and Alpha Tauri who has been competing in the Japan-based Super Formula championship this year.

    Lawson sits second in the Super Formula standings ahead of October’s season finale double header at Suzuka, with the break in the calendar leaving him free to substitute for the Australian driver.

    He is set to become the 10th New Zealander to contest a Grand Prix, with the most recent being Brendon Hartley raced for Torro Rosso.

    With the Italian Grand Prix directly following this weelend’s round at Zandvoort, it also casts doubt over Ricciardo’s ability to contest the Monza event.

  • F2 Abu Dhabi- Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-

    It was a frenetic start to the final sprint race of the 2022 season, but not for Verschoor who calmly kept his rivals behind him to retain the lead off the line.

    Jehan Daruvala and Enzo Fittipaldi collided and hit the barriers at Turn 3 and bringing out the Red Flag as the end of the opening lap. Slotting back into position for the rolling restart on Lap 3, Verschoor got a good getaway to hold the lead.

    The cooler early evening conditions left the field struggling to light up their tyres. After being passed by Frederol Vesti for P11, Ayumu Iwasa attempted to go round the outside of the Dane at Turn 9.

    Out front, Verschoor was unable to pull out of Lawson’s DRS window. It wouldn’t take long for Lawson to pounce on Lap 10 – going late on the brakes to catch the Trident driver by surprise and snatch the lead.

    A lock up for VAR driver Cordeel, allowed Drugovich to slot his way through into third and left Cordeel at the mercy of Hauger, who made his own move on the Belgian into Turn 6. Missing the corner, Hauger tactically gave the place back into Turn 10, in order to avoid losing out to Sargeant and Doohan behind.

    Lawson, had extended his advantage lap-by-lap and drove off into the distance to claim victory by a whopping 7.9s ahead of Verschoor and Drugovich.

    Day 3-

    Iwasa moved to cover off his teammate immediately at the start bu Roy Nissany had the momentum. The duo remained side-by-side into Turn 2 until the Red Bull junior claimed the lead heading down the hill into the hairpin.

    Drugovich made the move for P3 immediately as Theo Pourchaire went wide in the first corner and fell back to fifth as a result.

    At Turn 6, the Carlin teammates were fighting for position, with Lawson overtaking Sargeant out of the chicane for sixth. Into Turn 9, Ralph Boschung spun and couldn’t get going again, bringing out the Virtual Safety Car.

    There was a close call for Drugovich on Lap 13, into the Turn 6 braking zone, the MP driver thought about a late dive but had to bail on the move. He narrowly avoided running into the back of the DAMS driver and dropped to over a second behind Iwasa.

    Doohan finally pitted on Lap 26 after running further than everyone else barring Enzo Fittipaldi. He looked to be re-joining fifth on the road but after filtering back out on track, lost his front left tyre, forcing him out of the race.

    Onto the final lap and the gap for the win stood at just 0.5s. Drugovich, forced Iwasa to go on the defensive into Turn 6 and had DRS once again into Turn 9. Iwasa just about held Drugovich at bay to take his second win in F2. Lawson closed up at the end to make it two podiums from two in the final weekend.

  • F2 Spa- Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-

    Greeted by cold and dry conditions, the mist loomed high over the Belgian hills and there were plenty of unknowns heading into the first race of the weekend after a lack of race runs in a highly disrupted practice session.

    Whilst Ralph Boschung assumed his spot on reverse grid pole on his return to the the track after suffering an injury, Jehan Daruvala’s day was brought to an early end before the lights had even gone out as the PREMA Racing driver pulled over on the reconnaissance lap.

    Unfortunately for the Swiss driver, the Belgian circuit isn’t short of overtaking opportunities. All over the back of the race leader, the Red Bull liveried Carlin sailed up into P1 along the Kemmel Straight.

    The race made a turn on Lap 11, Logan Sargeant lost his rear end on the exit of Pouhom and skidded into the barriers, triggering the Safety Car.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Lawson, P2: Doohan, P3: Boschung, P4: Drugovich, P5: Verschoor, P6: Pourchaire, P7: Armstrong, P8: Beckmann, P9: Iwasa and P10: Hauger.

    Day 3-

    Drugovich surged off the line and Doohan cleared Enzo Fittipaldi to take second into La Source. David Beckmann followed through down the Kemmel Straight on the Charouz Racing System at Les Combes to take third.

    Theo Pourchaire’s title hopes took a major hit, as he slid down the order and out of the race with an issue. Richard Verschoor took fifth from the Charouz on the next lap, using DRS.

    Fittipaldi and Sargeant were the first to pit for mediums on Lap 8, feeding back out in 14th and 15th places respectively. Lawson responded on the following lap, but it was a slow stop for the Carlin driver.

    Juri Vips and Lirim Zendeli were the first of those on mediums to swap to softs on Lap 15 whilst Verschoor and Iwasa continued to extend their stints at the front.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Doohan, P2: Drugovich, P3: Lawson, P4: Verschoor, P5: Fittipaldi, P6: Sargeant, P7: Beckmann, P8: Iwasa, P9: Vips and P10: Novalak.

  • Lawson FP1 run

    Liam Lawson will be making his Formula 1 debut on Friday, as Alpha Tauri have announced that the Carlin driver will take over the reins of the AT03 for the opening Free Practice session at Spa-Francorchamps.

    The New Zealander will be getting behind the wheel of Pierre Gasly’s car, as part of the two young driver sessions, F1 teams are required to run this season.

    So far in his 2022 season, the 20 year old has two wins and six podiums to his name, and currently sits eight in the Drivers’ Championship.

    Part of their junior programme since 2019, the Red Bull and Alpha Tauri reserve driver got his first taste of F1 machinery with the Italian team last year during the post-season Young Drivers’ Test in Abu Dhabi and will now be taking the track following Formula 2’s Practice session.

    Super excited to say I’ll be doing my first FP1 this weekend in Spa. I honestly couldn’t think of a better place to do it, it’s going to be a very exciting feeling. It’s a historic track and a place that I’ve always enjoyed driving, so in a Formula 1 car it’s gonna be incredible. I’ve been doing a lot of sim work over the year as well leading up to this, so I think the prep has been really, really good. Obviously, I had my first outing last year in December and since then, honestly, I’ve been dying to get back in the car.

    Liam Lawson on his FP1 outing.
  • F2 Le Castellet – Day 2 & 3

    F2 Le Castellet – Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-

    Daruvala got a great start from pole position but Lawson lagged behind him, the Carlin driver fell down the order into Turn 1, losing second to Armstrong and third to Drugovich momentarily, but a wide moment on corner exit left the MP Motorsport driver in the hands of Pourchaire.

    Lawson kept in touch with Armstrong ahead and made a late lunge into Turn 1 on lap 4. The pair battle through the first sector and somehow avoided contact, just millimetres apart at Turn 4. After making the move, the gap to race leader Daruvala stood at 2.2s but Lawson set about hunting him down, to cut it down by 1.6s by Lap 6 and by Lap 8 the Carlin driver broke into DRS range.

    The Safety Car offered a brief pause in action, deployed on Lap 9 following contact between Robert Merhi and the recovering Enzo Fittipaldi. The pair had been fighting for 15th position but a slide and spin in the North Chicane on the Mistral Straight left the Charouz in the middle of the track. Amaury Cordeel behind couldn’t avoid him and made contact, putting both out of the race.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Lawson, P2: Daruvala, P3: Drugovich, P4: Doohan, P5: Vesti, P6: Iwasa, P7: Pourchaire, P8: Sargeant, P9: Sato and P10: Beckmann.

    Pourchaire, Vips, Armstrong and Fittipaldi have all been penalised, Pourchaire originally crossed the line in P3.

    Day 3-

    After warmer temperatures played havoc earlier on in weekend, the field would have been thankful to have been greeted by cooler morning conditions in Le Castellet – allowing the grid to split their strategies.

    The top five opted to get things underway on the softer compound, but that didn’t help Logan Sargeant, who suffered wheel spin off the line and dropped down to third. There were contrasting fortunes at the front of the pack, as Doohan got a blistering start to streak into the lead in the opening two corners. However, the Australian driver had company in the form of Iwasa, who immediately put him under pressure.

    The Safety Car was swiftly deployed as the marshals picked up both Armstrong, and the stricken Marino Sato, who’s race ended early in the run-off section. Firing up his tyres early, Iwasa streaked ahead of Doohan on the restart, as Lawson boldly dived to the inside of Drugovich to take seventh.

    The pit stop was the undoing of Sargeant’s day as well on Lap 13. The Carlin driver was unable to pull away from his pit box and was forced to retire, having looked solidly in the fight for a podium spot.

    But it was Ayumu Iwasa who took the win and his first Formula 2 win! Theo Pouchaire cmae home to finish 2nd, and his teammate Frederick Vesti rounded out the podium in P3, a double podium for the ART GP team.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Iwasa, P2: Pourchaire, P3: Vesti, P4: Drugovich, P5: Doohan, P6: Lawson, P7: Daruvala, P8: Novalak, P9: Nissany and P10: Fittipaldi.

    We are back next weekend and we are in Hungary for Round 10, our last before summer break!

  • F2 Jeddah- Day 2&3

    F2 Jeddah- Day 2&3

    Day 2-

    Dennis Hauger had been promoted to reverse grid pole as Jack Doohan was disqualified from Qualifying and the PREMA of Hauger took full advantage of being on pole.

    Hughes reaction wasn’t as quick as Hauger’s but an early Safety Car brought action to a stop as Amaury Cordeel lost control of his Van Amersfoort and collided with the wall.

    Fourteen laps remained when action resumed, with Hauger still in the lead with Williams and Hughes behind him. Lawson managed to over take Iwasa before a second safety car. This time because of a collision at the back between Doohan and Sargeant.

    It was Lawson who took the win with his old team Juri Vips in 2nd and Drugovich finishing 3rd. It looked like Hauger was going to take the win until he went into the pit Lane whilst it was closed and got a 10 second stop-go penalty. Jake Hughes finished in 3rd but got disqualified due to a technical infringement.

    Day 3-

    Drugovich chopped across to get Verschoor covered, and the move worked as the top five maintained position at the end of Turn 1.

    This didn’t last though as Liam Lawson made a move on Ralph Boschung for P4, before making a move on Armstrong down the main straight.

    Drugovich went into the pits on Lap 9 to ditch the softs, handing the lead to Verschoor who was hoping the over-cut would work but it wasn’t meant to be as the driver dove into the pits a lap later and came out behind Drugovich.

    Disaster struck for the title contenders, Pourchaire was forced to retire from the pits, before Lawson pulled to a stop at the exit of the pit lane due to his tyres not being fitted properly.

    It was P1 for Drugovich, P2 for Verschoor and P3 for Daruvala.

    We are back for F2 for testing from 12th to 14th April in Barcelona with our next race weekend being from the 22nd to 24th April in Imola!

  • Lawson switches to Carlin

    Lawson switches to Carlin

    Liam Lawson has switched HiTech Grand Prix for Carlin in 2022, where he joins Williams Academy driver, Logan Sargeant.

    The Red Bull junior, made his first appearance for the team, at post-season testing in Abu Dhabi where he finished four of the six sessions in the top 10.

    2021, was Lawsons rookie season in Formula 2, which saw him win the opening race and take two more podiums during the year- he finished ninth overall. Not only this he competed in DTM last year, where he finished as runner-up.

    The 19 year old has 4 years experience in European single-seater racing, making the move from New Zealand in 2018, where he had wont the NZ F1600 Championship the year before. He finished the year as vice-champion in ADAC F4, Lawson then moved to Formula 3 for 2019 with MP Motorsport where he took podiums in his rookie season.

    In the same year Lawson finished second in Euroformula Open with four wins, he also won the Toyota Racing Series with 5 wins and 11 podiums. He then decided to switch to HiTech for his second year in F3 where he won three times and grabbed six podiums- he finished 5th overall.

    “I’m super excited for the new opportunity this year,” said Lawson. “The pre-season test went really, really well. It was a completely different experience to what I’ve been used to. The whole team is really focused on the right things and all super motivated going into the season. The second year is always a good step having done a year and learnt a lot, so to take all of that into a new team is a great way to start.”

    Carlin Team Manager Trevor Carlin added: “We’re really excited to have Liam join the team. He is a great talent and we’ve watched him with interest over the last few seasons. We’re very proud and thankful that Red Bull and Rodin have entrusted us with this next stage in Liam’s career. Liam did a great job in the post-season official tests in Abu Dhabi and slotted straight into the team. I expect him to be a championship contender this year.”

    My Opinion-

    This is the right move for him. He was very unlucky last year due to reliability, so with him moving to Carlin he should have a stable car for the 2022 season. Lets hope that Lawson will be in the fight for the title!