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Liam Lawson
Liam Lawson
from Wikipedia

Liam Jared Lawson (born 11 February 2002) is a New Zealand racing driver who competes in Formula One for Racing Bulls.

Key Information

Born in Hastings and raised in Pukekohe, Lawson began competitive kart racing aged six. Lawson—who is mentored by three-time New Zealand Grand Prix winner Ken Smith—graduated to junior formulae in 2015, winning his first title in the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship as a privateer. He finished runner-up in the 2017 Australian F4, 2018 ADAC F4 and 2019 Euroformula Open championships, before winning the Toyota Racing Series in 2019 with M2. Lawson then progressed to FIA Formula 3 in 2020 before moving to FIA Formula 2 in 2021, where he placed third the following season with Carlin. He also competed in the 2021 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters for Red Bull AF Corse alongside Alex Albon, finishing runner-up to Maximilian Götz amidst a controversial finale. Lawson then competed in the 2023 Super Formula Championship, finishing runner-up to Ritomo Miyata with Mugen.

A member of the Red Bull Junior Team since 2019, Lawson was a reserve driver for both Red Bull and AlphaTauri from 2022 to 2024. Lawson made his Formula One debut at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, replacing an injured Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri for five Grands Prix in 2023, scoring his maiden points finish in Singapore. He replaced Ricciardo full-time at the re-branded Racing Bulls in 2024 from the United States Grand Prix onwards. Lawson was promoted to a full-time drive with parent team Red Bull for his 2025 campaign—replacing Sergio Pérez to partner Max Verstappen—but was demoted after the second round. Lawson is contracted to remain at Racing Bulls until at least the end of the 2026 season.

Early and personal life

[edit]

Liam Jared Lawson was born on 11 February 2002 in Hastings, New Zealand.[1][2] He was raised in Pukekohe, which was home to Pukekohe Park Raceway, located in the Auckland Region of the North Island.[3] His parents sold their house to fund his racing career.[3]

Lawson selected the number 30 as his personal driver number in Formula One, which he had used since age eight in honour of his karting mentor.[4] He plays the guitar and has recorded music.[5]

Junior racing career

[edit]

Karting

[edit]

Lawson began karting in 2008, competing in numerous championships across New Zealand, including two karting titles in 2014. Each year, he returned to the Kartsport Auckland Go Kart Club on Rosebank Road, Avondale and competed in the big City of Sails race on Auckland Anniversary Weekend according to Speedhive myLaps, the transponder company that was used.[6][7][8][9][10][11]

Lower formulae

[edit]

In 2015, Lawson made his single-seater debut in the Formula First Manfeild Winter Series with Sabre Motorsport, taking a win and ten podiums to finish second overall.[12] A few months later, he joined Sabre to contest the NZ Formula First championship, taking a win and three podiums on his way to sixth in the championship and the Rookie of the Year title.[13][14][15] The following year, Lawson graduated to the NZ F1600 Championship Series.[16] There he dominated proceedings, claiming fourteen of the fifteen victories on offer to become the youngest champion in not just the series' history, but the youngest ever Formula Ford champion in world at the time.[17]

In 2017, Lawson moved up to the Australian F4 championship with BRM, taking five wins to finish second in only his rookie season.[18][19] The following year, Lawson remained at Formula 4 level, moving across to contest the ADAC Formula 4 championship with Van Amersfoort Racing and received backing from Turner's, the New Zealand used car network that had previously sponsored IndyCar champion Scott Dixon.[20][21] Claiming three wins and three pole positions, Lawson's performances saw him claim his second consecutive F4 runner up position, behind Lirim Zendeli.[22]

Toyota Racing Series

[edit]

In November 2018, Lawson joined M2 Competition for the 2019 championship.[23] Lawson dominated on debut at Highlands, taking two races wins by over nine-seconds each and won the Dorothy Smith Memorial Trophy as a result of winning Race 3.[24][25] Claiming three additional wins across the season, Lawson secured the title at the New Zealand Grand Prix after a season long battle with Ferrari junior and fellow countryman Marcus Armstrong.[26]

Euroformula Open Championship

[edit]

Lawson had been set to join the inaugural season of the Formula European Masters with Motopark, alongside fellow Red Bull Junior Yuki Tsunoda, but followed the German outfit to the Euroformula Open Championship when Formula European Masters was cancelled due to a lack of entrants.[27][28][29] Lawson won the opening races at Paul Ricard, and also in Pau.[30][31] He would go on to take two more victories to become runner-up to Marino Sato.[32] He did however, win the rookies' championship.[33]

International Formula 3

[edit]

In November 2018, Lawson competed in the season finale of the Asian F3 championship with Irish outfit Pinnacle Motorsport.[34] He proceeded to dominate the weekend, taking all wins, fastest laps and pole positions on offer to finish eighth in the championship.[35][36]

FIA Formula 3 Championship

[edit]

2019

[edit]
Lawson racing for MP Motorsport during the 2019 Spielberg Formula 3 round

In March 2019, Lawson joined MP Motorsport to contest the inaugural FIA Formula 3 Championship, alongside Richard Verschoor and Simo Laaksonen.[37] His debut at Barcelona proved challenging, qualifying lowest of the MP Motorsport drivers and retired from Race 1 due to a throttle motor failure.[38] Improvement followed in Paul Ricard, where he scored his first points with ninth place in Race 1 and further advanced to fifth in Race 2.[39][40] After failing to score in Austria, but rebounded in Silverstone and held the lead for half of the race before being overtaken by Leonardo Pulcini and Robert Shwartzman, eventually securing third place.[41] The result marked both Lawson's and MP Motorsport's first podium of the season.[42] Lawson endured scoreless rounds in Hungary and Spa-Francorchamps before returning to form in Monza. After qualifying thirteenth, he progressed to seventh in Race 1, giving him a front row start in Race 2. Although he dropped positions at the start, Lawson recovered and passed Fabio Scherer and Jake Hughes to finish second behind Yuki Tsunoda, earning his second podium.[43][44] In the final round in Sochi, Lawson made up ten positions in Race 2 to finish eighth, after overtaking Max Fewtrell and Christian Lundgaard on the last lap.[45] Overall, Lawson concluded the season eleventh in the championship with 41 points, scoring both of the team's podium finishes.

Macau Grand Prix
[edit]

Just two weeks after the final round, Lawson was announced to compete at that year's Macau Grand Prix, remaining with MP Motorsport.[46] Lawson qualified fifteenth, but in the qualification race slipped back to twentieth, before eventually coming through to finish seventh.[47]

2020

[edit]

Lawson moved to Hitech Grand Prix for the 2020 season, partnering Max Fewtrell and Red Bull junior Dennis Hauger.[48] He opened the season in Austria by qualifying twelfth and improving to sixth in the first race. and charged to sixth. In Race 2, Lawson climbed to third before overtaking Clément Novalak and David Beckmann to move into the race lead. He resisted late-race pressure from former teammate Richard Verschoor to secure his maiden Formula 3 victory.[49][50] During the second Austrian round, Lawson qualified tenth and finished eighth place in wet conditions in Race 1. Starting third in Race 2, he moved into the lead after passing Jake Hughes and Théo Pourchaire. A prolonged battle ultimately ended in a collision between the pair on lap 21, resulting in a double retirement which handed the win to Pourchaire.[51] Lawson endured a difficult weekend in Hungary, retiring from both races due to mechanical failures.[52]

From Silverstone onwards, Lawson scored points in every remaining race of the season. There, he narrowly missed out on pole position,[53] but overtook polesitter Logan Sargeant on the opening lap to claim his second win of the year.[54][55] He added a seventh place in Race 2. During the second Silverstone round, Lawson again qualified second[56] and finished third in the opening race,[57] before narrowly missing a podium in Race 2 after running wide while battling Pourchaire.[58] In Barcelona, Lawson qualified third despite an engine issue compromising his pole position attempt.[59] He finished second in Race 1 after overtaking Sargeant late on;[60] followed by seventh in Race 2, which elevated him to third in the championship standings.[61]

In Spa-Francorchamps, Lawson finished seventh in Race 1 and recovered to third in Race 2 after losing positions at the start.[62] Lawson initially qualified fourth in Monza. Lawson inherited pole position in Monza following post-qualifying penalties.[63] Damage sustained in early contact with Matteo Nannini limited him to sixth in Race 1. In Race 2, he finished second on the road after briefly leading, but a post-race penalty for forcing another driver off-track dropped him to seventh.[64] He concluded his season in Mugello, by finishing tenth in the first race, before dominating Race 2 to secure his third victory of the season.[65] Lawson finished fifth in the championship with 143 points, recording three wins and six podiums throughout the season.

Road to Indy

[edit]

In December 2017, Lawson partook in the Mazda Road to Indy Shootout, finishing as the fastest driver but losing out on the scholarship to Ireland's Keith Donegan.[66][67][68]

FIA Formula 2 Championship

[edit]

2021

[edit]

On January 2021, Lawson was announced to be competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Hitech Grand Prix alongside Jüri Vips.[69] Lawson qualified eighth on his debut in Bahrain. In the opening sprint race, he made a strong start to take the lead and successfully defended against late pressure from Jehan Daruvala to secure his maiden win on debut.[70][71] His fortunes were reversed in the second sprint however, as Lawson was taken out by Felipe Drugovich in a three-way scrap for third place.[72] Nevertheless, he redeemed himself with third place in the feature after a pass on Richard Verschoor on the last lap.[73][74] Lawson ended the opening round second in the championship. In Monaco, Lawson qualified twelfth and finished ninth in the first sprint race. He started the second sprint from pole position after Marcus Armstrong was unable to take the grid. After briefly losing the lead, Lawson reclaimed first place with an overtake on Oscar Piastri at Rascasse and went on to take the chequered flag in first.[75] However, he was later disqualified for using a prohibited throttle map, handing victory to Dan Ticktum.[76] He later described his disqualification as "hard to swallow".[77] He finished seventh in the feature race.[78]

Lawson claimed his maiden pole position in Baku, forming a front row for Hitech.[79][80] His opening sprint race ended early after contact with Piastri broke his suspension,[81] but recovered to finish seventh in the second sprint despite a power loss.[82] In the feature race, an aggressive defence on Théo Pourchaire during the opening lap earned Lawson a ten-second penalty; he eventually finished sixth.[83] In Silverstone, Lawson qualified eleventh and scored points in both sprint races, finishing seventh and fifth respectively. He placed just outside the points in the feature race.[84][85] In Monza, Lawson qualified fourth but front wing damage forced him into a pit stop early during the opening sprint race; he managed to recover to fifth.[86] He finished fourth in the second sprint and ran as high as second in the feature race before retiring due to a power issue.[87] Lawson qualified eighth in Sochi,[88] but retired from the first sprint after damaging his suspension while running third.[89] Lawson finished seventh in the feature race after a slow start.[90]

In Jeddah, Lawson qualified tenth and started from reverse pole in the first sprint, but was outdragged by Marcus Armstrong on the opening lap; nevertheless he finished second which marked his first podium since Bahrain.[91][92] He retired from the second sprint after crashing out late in the race,[93] and finished ninth in an aborted feature race.[94] Lawson qualified seventh for the Yas Marina finale. He finished fifth and sixth in the sprint races,[95] but retired from the feature race due to an engine issue.[96] Lawson concluded his rookie season ninth in the championship with 103 points, scoring one win and three podiums.[97]

2022

[edit]
Lawson driving the Dallara F2 2018 during the 2022 Spielberg Formula 2 round

Lawson switched that he would race for Carlin in the 2022 season alongside American Logan Sargeant.[98][99]

He began his campaign strongly in Bahrain, qualifying sixth. He finished third in the sprint after passing Ralph Boschung late,[100] and followed this with second place in the feature race after avoiding incidents among the leading runners, thereby coming away with a double podium.[101] Following the round, Lawson noted that he felt more comfortable in Formula 2 after contesting a dual campaign in the 2021 DTM season.[102] In Jeddah, Lawson qualified fifth and soon found himself in podium contention during the sprint race after Dennis Hauger's pit lane error. Following a safety car restart, he swiftly overcame Calan Williams and Jake Hughes to secure his first win of the season.[103] He was set to continue his podium streak running third during the feature race, but retired due to a loose wheel immediately after his pit stop,[104][105] nevertheless he retained second place in the championship.

Lawson endured a difficult triple-header thereafter. In Imola, he qualified fourteenth and recovered to eighth in the sprint race,[106] but retired from the feature race after a steering wheel failure caused a crash.[107] In Barcelona, Lawson qualified sixteenth and narrowly missed points in the sprint race.[108] Despite a strong start in the feature race, he faded to ninth after losing places to cars on fresher tyres.[109] In Monaco, Lawson initially secured pole position,[110] but his lap was deleted for failing to slow under yellow flags, and he received a five-place grid penalty for the sprint race.[111] He scored a point with eighth in the sprint but stalled on the grid in the feature race and later retired with engine issues.[112] Lawson returned to form in Baku, qualifying second.[113] He finished third after a strong restart late in the race saw him gain multiple positions,[114] but suffered a puncture after being hit by Jack Doohan in the feature race; he was forced to pit which resulted in a fifteenth place finish.[115]

Lawson secured four wins and ten podiums on his way to finishing third in the championship.

In Silverstone, Lawson qualified fifth. Contact in the sprint race caused front wing damage which necessitated a pit stop, and he finished 20th. In the feature race, he made a strong start to move into third, and held the position to take another podium.[116] In the Austria, Lawson qualified fourteenth and retired from the sprint race after stalling on the grid and encountering technical issues.[117] He salvaged a point with tenth in the feature race after opting for slick tyres at the start.[118] Lawson qualified ninth in Paul Ricard.[119] After briefly losing second at the start of the sprint race, Lawson eventually made the move for the lead with a late pass on Jehan Daruvala, earning him his second win of the year.[120][121] He finished sixth in the feature race.[122] In Hungary, Lawson qualified eleventh and recovered to sixth in the sprint race.[123] He placed seventh in the feature race on the alternate strategy.[124]

At Spa-Francorchamps, Lawson qualified sixth. A good start moved him into second at the start, before overtaking Ralph Boschung on the next lap to secure another victory.[125][126] He followed this with a third place in the feature race after a battle with Enzo Fittipaldi.[127] In Zandvoort, Lawson qualified sixth position and finished fourth in the sprint race after overtaking Vips at the start.[128] A strategy gamble on hard tyres in the feature race was compromised by a safety car, leaving him twelfth at the finish.[129] In Monza, Lawson qualified second.[130] He recovered from an average start in the sprint race to finish sixth,[131] later promoted to fifth following a post-race penalty for Richard Verschoor.[132] In the feature race, Lawson briefly led after overtaking Doohan at the start but lost time after failing to capitalise on a pit stop under the safety car. He was later spun around by Vips which caused front wing damage, and eventually finished thirteenth.[133] At the Abu Dhabi finale, Lawson qualified ninth and secured his fourth victory of the season in the sprint race after overtaking Verschoor.[134][135] In the feature race, he finished third after an early pit stop proved successful.[136] Lawson concluded the season third in the drivers' championship with 149 points, four victories and ten podiums.[137]

Formula One career

[edit]

In February 2019, Lawson joined the Red Bull Junior Team.[138]

In July 2021, Lawson got his first experience in an F1 car at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed, driving the 2011 Red Bull RB7.[139] Lawson took part in the Young Driver Test at the Yas Marina Circuit at the end of the 2021 season with Scuderia AlphaTauri, driving the AT02.[140] For the 2022 season, he served as a reserve/test driver for AlphaTauri. In March 2022 Franz Tost revealed that Lawson would make his Formula One debut in a free practice session for them during the season.[141][142] He made his free practice debut at the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix.[143][144]

Following then-reserve driver Jüri Vips' exclamation of the racial slur "nigga" during a Twitch livestream (in which, incidentally, Lawson was also present) during June 2022, team principal Christian Horner confirmed that Lawson had been promoted to replace Vips as the reserve driver for Red Bull Racing, sharing this role with AlphaTauri.[145] Lawson made another FP1 appearance with AlphaTauri at the 2022 Mexico City Grand Prix.[146][147] He made his Red Bull debut during practice at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.[148] Lawson then took part in the post-season tests in Abu Dhabi driving the Red Bull.[149]

Lawson continued as reserve driver for Red Bull and AlphaTauri in 2023.[150] In February, he drove the RB7 for a demonstration run during the 2023 Bathurst 12 Hour.[151] Following the British Grand Prix, Nyck de Vries was removed from his seat at AlphaTauri, with Daniel Ricciardo being chosen ahead of Lawson to replace the Dutchman.[152] Following the announcement, Lawson stated that he "understood their decision" and commented that jumping in mid-season would be "extremely tough".[153]

AlphaTauri / Racing Bulls (2023–2024)

[edit]

2023: Debut in a reserve role

[edit]

Lawson made his Formula One debut at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix for AlphaTauri, temporarily replacing Ricciardo after he sustained a broken hand in a crash in Friday's second free practice session.[154][155][156] With limited practice time which included a spin, he qualified in 20th.[157] Despite a ten-second penalty for impeding Kevin Magnussen in the pits, Lawson finished in 13th place in a challenging and eventful debut race.[158] Most notably, it included battling with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and finishing higher than his AlphaTauri teammate Yuki Tsunoda.[159][160] On 28 August 2023, AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost stated that Lawson would likely continue to race for the team at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix.[161] This statement was confirmed hours later, as Lawson would also be keeping his replacement role until Ricciardo is fit to race.[162] Lawson qualified in 12th place at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix and finished in 11th place.[163] At the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, Lawson qualified a career-best tenth place, most notably, knocking championship leader Max Verstappen out of the second part of qualifying.[164][165] After fending off Alex Albon during the last laps, Lawson finished the race in ninth, scoring points for the first time in Formula One as well as becoming the second AlphaTauri driver that year to score.[166]

Lawson finished in eleventh at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix, ahead of Tsunoda in 12th.[167] Lawson endured a rough final appearance at the Qatar Grand Prix,[168] where he spun out of the sprint and finished last of the runners during the race.[169][170] Ricciardo was well enough to return for the following United States Grand Prix, and Lawson returned to his reserve role.[171]

2024: Late-season stint

[edit]

Lawson continued his role as reserve driver for Red Bull Racing and RB Formula One Team (the rebranded AlphaTauri) in 2024.[172] Lawson completed a filming day with the Red Bull RB20 in mid-July at Silverstone, following the British Grand Prix.[173] At the end of July, he completed another day of testing for RB with the 2022 AlphaTauri AT03 at Imola.[174] Due to poor performances by Ricciardo in the early parts of the season, rumors speculated that Lawson could replace him mid-season, but Ricciardo denied later in the season that manager Helmut Marko had threatened to do so.[175]

Ricciardo was dropped by RB after the Singapore Grand Prix, with Lawson replacing him for the remaining six rounds of the season.[176] At the United States Grand Prix, Lawson started 19th due to engine penalties.[177] Starting on the hard tyre, Lawson went long and was able to jump teammate Tsunoda during the pit stops. His efforts yielded him ninth place, which received praise from Christian Horner.[178][179] Lawson qualified for the Mexico City Grand Prix in 12th.[180] He had a contentious battle in the race with Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez, and made contact with him, causing Lawson to raise his middle finger at him after passing him a few laps later. He ultimately finished one place ahead of Pérez in 16th, and later apologised as he admitted that it was "not something that [I] should have done".[181][182] After narrowly missing out on points in his first sprint at the São Paulo Grand Prix, Lawson produced his best qualifying result to date in a rain-hit session, securing fifth on the grid, two places behind Tsunoda.[183] In the race, although he was spun by Oscar Piastri on lap 26, Lawson was able to withstand the treacherous conditions and finish in ninth place.[184]

At the Las Vegas Grand Prix, starting 14th, Lawson attempted a one-stop strategy, but a long second stint left him pitting late and he eventually finished 16th.[185] Lawson had a miserable Qatar Grand Prix, colliding with Valtteri Bottas in the opening laps which earned him a ten-second penalty. Attaining floor damage from the contact, he was left to finish in 13th place.[186] At the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lawson had another troubled race when his front left wheel was not fitted correctly during his pit stop, forcing him to pit again. A mechanical issue later forced him out of the race with three laps remaining.[187] Lawson finished the season 21st in the standings, collecting four points across the six Grand Prix he competed in.

Red Bull (2025)

[edit]

Lawson was promoted to Red Bull in 2025 to replace Sergio Pérez, partnering defending four-time World Drivers' Champion Max Verstappen.[1] At the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, he qualified eighteenth before crashing out of the race in changing conditions.[188][189] Lawson qualified last for both the sprint and main race in China, finishing fourteenth at the former and twelfth at the latter following three disqualifications—and a penalty for Jack Doohan—ahead of him; Red Bull opened discussions to replace him with Yuki Tsunoda after his performances in the opening two rounds.[190]

Return to Racing Bulls (2025–present)

[edit]

2025: Mid-season demotion

[edit]
Lawson driving the Racing Bulls VCARB 02 at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix
Lawson was demoted to Racing Bulls from the Japanese Grand Prix onwards in 2025.

Lawson was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda from the Japanese Grand Prix onwards, with Lawson moving back to Racing Bulls to partner FIA Formula 2 runner-up Isack Hadjar for the remainder of 2025.[191] Team adviser Helmut Marko admitted Red Bull "made a mistake" in their decision to promote Lawson only 11 Grands Prix into his career, adding that he "lost confidence and [couldn't] show his real potential".[192] He finished seventeenth on his return after a strategic error, having qualified fourteenth.[193] Lawson received two penalties as he finished sixteenth at the Bahrain Grand Prix: one for causing a collision with Lance Stroll and another with Nico Hülkenberg.[194] He finished eleventh in Saudi Arabia, dropped to twelfth after receiving a 10-second time penalty for leaving the circuit.[195] He finished thirteenth in the Miami sprint after receiving a five-second penalty for a collision with Fernando Alonso,[196] and retired during the main race due to floor damage.[197] He scored his first points of the season at the Monaco Grand Prix, where he played a key role in helping teammate Hadjar finish sixth, as he claimed eighth. He scored points again at the Austrian Grand Prix in a career-best sixth. He sustained terminal damage after colliding with Esteban Ocon on the opening lap of the British Grand Prix. Lawson finished eighth at both the Belgian and Hungarian Grands Prix, holding Max Verstappen behind him at the latter. Lawson broke both his qualifying and race finish records at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, qualifying third and finishing fifth. Lawson finished 15th at the Singapore Grand Prix, remaining 9 points adrift of Hadjar in the drivers' standings.[198]

2026: New regulations

[edit]

Lawson is contracted to remain at Racing Bulls in 2026, partnered by rookie Arvid Lindblad.[199]

Other racing

[edit]

Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (2021)

[edit]

Lawson competed in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) in 2021, driving a Red Bull-sponsored Ferrari 488 GT3 for AF Corse alongside Formula One reserve driver Alex Albon.[200] He competed in the championship concurrently with his rookie Formula 2 campaign. Lawson made an immediate impact on his debut in Monza, winning the opening race. In doing so, he became the youngest-ever race winner in the DTM history.[201][202] After a spin in the second Monza race costed him a points finish, he finished second in both races at the Lausitzring, leading the second race before losing the win due to an issue during his pit stop.[203][204] Following a challenging mid-season run in which he failed to score points in three of the next four races,[205] Lawson returned to winning form at the Red Bull Ring. He secured his first pole position and later converted into his second victory during the opening race.[206] The following day, Lawson claimed another win after starting second, strengthening his title challenge.[207]

Lawson continued to score consistently in the latter stages of the season, recording four podium finishes and a fourth-place finish over the next five races,[208][209] Heading into the final race at the Norisring, he qualified on pole position and led the drivers' championship by 19 points over Kelvin van der Linde, with Maximilian Götz a further three points adrift of van der Linde.[210] However, Lawson's championship unravelled at the start when contact with van der Linde on the opening lap damaged his car, which left him lapping significantly off the pace after rejoining. Furthermore, Mercedes team orders to Lucas Auer and Philip Ellis enabled Götz to move into the lead and secure the victory, putting him three points ahead of Lawson.[211] Van der Linde was later given a five-second penalty for his involvement in the opening-lap incident.[212] Lawson finished the season runner-up in the drivers' championship. Following the conclusion of the campaign, he expressed his dissatisfaction of the title outcome, stating that van der Linde was "the dirtiest guy [he's] ever raced against." Lawson also stated that he no longer intended to remain in the series.[213]

Super Formula (2023)

[edit]

Lawson left Formula 2 at the end of 2022 and contested the 2023 Super Formula Championship with reigning champions Team Mugen alongside two-time drivers' champion Tomoki Nojiri.[214] He made an immediate impression, qualifying third for his series debut in Fuji and becoming the first driver to win on their Japanese Top Formula debut since 1978.[215][216][217] In the second race, Lawson ran in third, but a safety car infringement penalty demoted him to fifth.[218][219] In Suzuka, he qualified ninth[220] but recovered strongly to finish fourth.[221] In Autopolis, he qualified second while teammate Nojiri was sidelined due to a collapsed lung,[222] Lawson managed to undercut polesitter Sho Tsuboi during the pit cycle and resisted a late charge from Ritomo Miyata to secure the win, moving him into the championship lead.[223][224] A more difficult weekend followed in Sugo, qualifying sixth.[225] A radio miscommunication during the race limited Lawson to fifth, allowing Miyata to take a 12-point lead in the standings.[226] Lawson responded decisively in the second Fuji round, claiming his second win and closing the championship deficit to a single point.[227][228]

In Motegi, Lawson qualified third, scoring a point and briefly taking the championship lead.[229] However, he spun at the while attempting to pass Nojiri, triggering a multi-car pileup which red-flagged the race.[230] A subsequent drive-through penalty for work carried out on his car under red-flag conditions left him classified thirteenth.[231] Lawson praised his team's efforts in repairing his car in time for the restart.[232] Heading into the Suzuka double-header finale, Lawson trailed Miyata by eight points. He qualified seventh for the opening race[233] but an early red flag confined him to sixth.[234] Lawson then took his first and only pole of the season for the second race.[235] He lost the lead to Kakunoshin Ota at the start and ultimately finished second.[236] Lawson concluded the season runner-up in the standings recording one pole, three wins, four podiums and 106.5 points.[237]

Lawson did not continue in Super Formula for 2024, opting to focus full-time on his reserve driver commitments, and was replaced in his seat by Ayumu Iwasa.[238]

Karting record

[edit]

Karting career summary

[edit]
Season Series Team Position
2011 Kartsport NZ Schools Championship — Cadet 13th
Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship — Cadet 12th
NZ Top Half Series — Cadet
Kartsport Auckland City of Sails — Cadet Raket
Blossom Festival — Cadet 3rd
2012 Kartsport NZ Schools Championship — 100cc Junior Restricted 8th
Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship — Cadet 3rd
Kartsport NZ North Island Sprint Championship — 100cc Junior Restricted 6th
NZ Top Half Series — 100cc Junior Yamaha 7th
NZ Top Half Series — Cadet 21st
Kartsport Auckland City of Sails — Cadet Raket 5th
CIK Trophy of New Zealand Challenge Cup — Cadet 1st
2013 Kartsport NZ Schools Championship — 100cc Junior Restricted 2nd
Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship — 100cc Junior Restricted Yamaha 5th
Kartsport NZ North Island Sprint Championship — 100cc Junior Restricted 4th
NZ Top Half Series — 100cc Junior Yamaha 10th
Kartsport Auckland City of Sails — 100cc Junior Restricted 4th
2014 Kartsport NZ Schools Championship — 100cc Junior Restricted 1st
Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship — 100cc Junior Restricted Yamaha 1st
Kartsport NZ North Island Sprint Championship — Rotax Junior 7th
NZ Top Half Series — 100cc Junior Yamaha
Blossom Festival — Rotax Junior 1st
Kartsport Auckland City of Sails — 100cc Junior Restricted 3rd
2015 Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship — Rotax Junior 3rd
Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship — 100cc Junior Restricted Yamaha 11th
NZ Top Half Series — Formula Junior
2021 Kartsport Auckland City of Sails — Rotax Light Josh Hart Racing 1st
Kartsport Auckland City of Sails — DD2 1st
2022 Kartsport Auckland City of Sails — KZ2 17th
CIK Trophy of New Zealand — KZ2 11th
2023 Kartsport Auckland City of Sails — KZ2 IKS 1st
CIK Trophy of New Zealand — KZ2 3rd
Hampton Downs Racing Academy - Kartstars New Zealand — KZ2 16th

Racing record

[edit]

Racing career summary

[edit]
Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2015 Formula First Manfeild Winter Series Sabre Motorsport 12 1 1 1 10 631 2nd
2015–16 New Zealand Formula First Championship 24 1 0 1 3 1028 6th
2016–17 NZ F1600 Championship Series Liam Lawson Motorsport 15 14 5 12 15 605 1st
2017 Australian Formula 4 Championship Team BRM 21 5 1 1 12 300 2nd
Victorian Formula Vee Championship JRD 3 0 0 0 1 60 15th
Mazda Road to Indy Shootout Lucas Oil School of Racing 1 0 0 0 0 N/a Finalist
2018 ADAC Formula 4 Championship Van Amersfoort Racing 20 3 3 0 9 234 2nd
F3 Asian Championship Pinnacle Motorsport 3 3 2 3 3 75 8th
2019 FIA Formula 3 Championship MP Motorsport 16 0 0 0 2 41 11th
Macau Grand Prix 1 0 0 0 0 N/a 7th
Euroformula Open Championship Motopark 14 4 2 1 7 179 2nd
Toyota Racing Series M2 Competition 15 5 4 5 11 356 1st
2020 FIA Formula 3 Championship Hitech Grand Prix 18 3 1 1 6 143 5th
Toyota Racing Series M2 Competition 15 5 4 7 10 356 2nd
2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship Hitech Grand Prix 23 1 1 2 3 103 9th
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Red Bull AF Corse 16 3 4 1 10 227 2nd
2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship Carlin 28 4 0 3 10 149 3rd
Formula One Scuderia AlphaTauri Test/Reserve driver
Oracle Red Bull Racing
2023 Super Formula Team Mugen 9 3 1 2 4 106.5 2nd
Formula One Scuderia AlphaTauri 5 0 0 0 0 2 20th
Oracle Red Bull Racing Reserve driver
2024 Formula One Visa Cash App RB F1 Team 6 0 0 0 0 4 21st
Oracle Red Bull Racing Reserve driver
2025 Formula One Oracle Red Bull Racing 2 0 0 0 0 38 14th
Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team 22 0 0 0 0

Complete Australian Formula 4 Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of top ten finishers)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 DC Points
2017 Team BRM SAN1
1

2
SAN1
2

2
SAN1
3

1
SAN2
1

1
SAN2
2

2
SAN2
3

2
BAR
1

3
BAR
2

1
BAR
3

9
PHI
1

3
PHI
2

10
PHI
3

7
QLD
1

10
QLD
2

4
QLD
3

6
SYD
1

6
SYD
2

6
SYD
3

3
SUR
1

1
SUR
2

4
SUR
3

1
2nd 300

Complete ADAC Formula 4 Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of top ten finishers)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Points
2018 Van Amersfoort Racing OSC
1

3
OSC
2

17
OSC
3

17
HOC1
1

2
HOC1
2

2
HOC1
3

6
LAU
1

1
LAU
2

2
LAU
3

1
RBR
1

3
RBR
2

6
RBR
3

1
HOC2
1

2
HOC2
2

18
NÜR
1

6
NÜR
2

15
NÜR
3

14
HOC3
1

2
HOC3
2

3
HOC3
3

16
2nd 234

Complete Toyota Racing Series results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of top ten finishers)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 DC Points
2019 M2 Competition HIG
1

1
HIG
2

5
HIG
3

1
TER
1

2
TER
2

C
TER
3

C
HMP
1

7
HMP
2

3
HMP
3

1
HMP
4

Ret
TAU
1

1
TAU
2

2
TAU
3

3
TAU
4

3
MAN
1

2
MAN
2

5
MAN
3

1
1st 356
2020 M2 Competition HIG
1

1
HIG
2

5
HIG
3

1
TER
1

6
TER
2

3
TER
3

1
HMP
1

2
HMP
2

2
HMP
3

Ret
PUK
1

1
PUK
2

4
PUK
3

1
MAN
1

2
MAN
2

5
MAN
3

3
2nd 356

Complete New Zealand Grand Prix results

[edit]
Year Team Car Qualifying Main race
2019 New Zealand M2 Competition Tatuus FT-50 - Toyota 2nd 1st
2020 New Zealand M2 Competition Tatuus FT-50 - Toyota 3rd 3rd

Complete Euroformula Open Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of top ten finishers)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 DC Points
2019 Team Motopark LEC
1

1
LEC
2

4
PAU
1

1
PAU
2

Ret
HOC
1

3
HOC
2

5
SPA
1

3
SPA
2

Ret
HUN
1

3
HUN
2

10
RBR
1
RBR
2
SIL
1
SIL
2
CAT
1

1
CAT
2

6
MNZ
1

Ret
MNZ
2

1
2nd 179

Complete FIA Formula 3 Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of top ten finishers)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 DC Points
2019 MP Motorsport CAT
FEA

NC
CAT
SPR

17
LEC
FEA

9
LEC
SPR

5
RBR
FEA

14
RBR
SPR

25
SIL
FEA

8
SIL
SPR

3
HUN
FEA

16
HUN
SPR

9
SPA
FEA

12
SPA
SPR

19
MNZ
FEA

7
MNZ
SPR

2
SOC
FEA

18
SOC
SPR

8
11th 41
2020 Hitech Grand Prix RBR
FEA

6
RBR
SPR

1
RBR
FEA

8
RBR
SPR

Ret
HUN
FEA

Ret
HUN
SPR

Ret
SIL
FEA

1
SIL
SPR

4
SIL
FEA

3
SIL
SPR

5
CAT
FEA

2
CAT
SPR

7
SPA
FEA

9
SPA
SPR

3
MNZ
FEA

6
MNZ
SPR

7
MUG
FEA

10
MUG
SPR

1
5th 143

Half points were awarded, as less than 75% of the scheduled distance was completed.

Complete Macau Grand Prix results

[edit]
Year Team Car Qualifying Quali race Main race
2019 Netherlands MP Motorsport Dallara F3 2019 15th 20th 7th

Complete FIA Formula 2 Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of top ten finishers)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 DC Points
2021 Hitech Grand Prix BHR
SP1

1
BHR
SP2

Ret
BHR
FEA

3
MCO
SP1

9
MCO
SP2

DSQ
MCO
FEA

7
BAK
SP1

Ret
BAK
SP2

7
BAK
FEA

6
SIL
SP1

7
SIL
SP2

5
SIL
FEA

11
MNZ
SP1

5
MNZ
SP2

4
MNZ
FEA

Ret
SOC
SP1

Ret
SOC
SP2

C
SOC
FEA

7
JED
SP1

2
JED
SP2

Ret
JED
FEA

9‡
YMC
SP1

5
YMC
SP2

6
YMC
FEA

20†
9th 103
2022 Carlin BHR
SPR

3
BHR
FEA

2
JED
SPR

1
JED
FEA

Ret
IMO
SPR

8
IMO
FEA

Ret
CAT
SPR

9
CAT
FEA

9
MCO
SPR

8
MCO
FEA

Ret
BAK
SPR

3
BAK
FEA

15
SIL
SPR

20
SIL
FEA

3
RBR
SPR

Ret
RBR
FEA

10
LEC
SPR

1
LEC
FEA

6
HUN
SPR

6
HUN
FEA

7
SPA
SPR

1
SPA
FEA

3
ZAN
SPR

4
ZAN
FEA

12
MNZ
SPR

5
MNZ
FEA

13
YMC
SPR

1
YMC
FEA

3
3rd 149

Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.
Driver did not finish the race, but were classified, as they completed more than 90% of the race distance.

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pos Points
2021 Red Bull AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 MNZ
1

1
MNZ
2

13
LAU
1

2
LAU
2

2
ZOL
1

Ret
ZOL
2

3
NÜR
1

13
NÜR
2

Ret
RBR
1

1
RBR
2

1
ASS
1

3
ASS
2

2
HOC
1

4
HOC
2

2
NOR
1

3
NOR
2

NC
2nd 227

Complete Super Formula results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Points
2023 Team Mugen Honda FUJ
13
FUJ
5
SUZ
4
AUT
12
SUG
5
FUJ
12
MOT
133
SUZ
6‡
SUZ
21
2nd 106.5

Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.

Complete Formula One results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Liam Lawson (born 11 February 2002) is a professional racing driver who competes in for the Visa Cash App RB team (commonly known as Racing Bulls). Born in , Lawson has risen through the ranks of as a member of the since 2019, achieving multiple race wins in junior categories and establishing himself as a promising talent in the highly competitive single-seater ladder. Lawson's racing career began in karting in New Zealand, supported by his family, who sold their home to fund his progression. By age 16, he had secured victories on debut in several series, including Formula First, , , and Formula 3 Asia. In 2017, he won the New Zealand F1600 Championship Series. He claimed the overall Toyota Racing Series title in 2019 after finishing second the previous year. Progressing to , Lawson competed in the in 2020 with Hitech GP, finishing fifth overall with three wins—at the , , and —and six podiums, including one at the support race. In 2021, he made history in the (DTM) by becoming the youngest winner in the series' history with a victory at . Lawson advanced to Formula 2 with Carlin in 2022, where he finished third in the championship standings. His Formula 1 debut came in 2023 at the , substituting for the injured at AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls), where he scored points with a ninth-place finish at the . In 2024, he served as Red Bull's reserve driver before taking a full-time seat at Racing Bulls from the , earning points finishes in the United States and . For 2025, Lawson was promoted to the main to partner , but after two races, he was replaced by ahead of the and returned to Racing Bulls, where he has continued to compete through the season, achieving a career-best result in earlier in the year. As of November 2025, the 23-year-old Lawson holds the 14th position in the Drivers' Championship standings with 36 points and races under the number 30.

Early life and personal background

Early life

Liam Lawson was born on 11 February 2002 in . He was raised in , near , where he developed an early interest in . Lawson is the son of Jared and Kristy Lawson, with his father, a racing enthusiast, playing a pivotal role in nurturing his passion for the sport from a young age. The family received early support from the local community, which helped facilitate his introduction to . Lawson's first experience with a go-kart came at age six, when he received his initial kart and began driving at local tracks such as the Mt Wellington Kart Club in . He started competitive karting the following year in 2009, competing in the Cadets class and quickly showing promise through early local successes that drew national interest. These formative years in New Zealand's karting scene laid the foundation for his progression to single-seaters in 2015.

Family and personal interests

Liam Lawson was born in Hastings, New Zealand, to parents Jared and Kristy Lawson, and raised in the nearby town of Pukekohe. His father, Jared, is the general manager at Mainstream Global, a New Zealand-based logistics firm specializing in data storage and transfer solutions. His mother, Kristy, works as a dental assistant at Rob King Dental Surgery. The couple has four other children: older sisters Jessica and Holly, younger brother Marcos, and younger sister Leah. Lawson's family provided unwavering support for his early racing pursuits, including selling their home in Pukekohe to finance his karting career abroad, a sacrifice that allowed him to relocate to Europe at age 16. Lawson attended High School from 2015 to 2017, completing up to Year 11 before leaving to focus on his racing commitments in . In his , Lawson follows a disciplined fitness regimen, incorporating sessions and specialized neck-strengthening exercises to withstand the physical demands of driving. He is an avid sim racer, using high-end simulator setups not only for track preparation but also as a recreational outlet to refine his skills. Lawson takes pride in his heritage, often highlighting his Kiwi roots, and has engaged in by auctioning his first car—a modified —to raise funds for I AM HOPE, a charity supporting young New Zealanders. He also collects luxury watches, favoring sporty models like those from , and experiments with fashion to develop a distinctive personal style. Since moving to in 2018 to advance his racing career, Lawson has been based in , , near the headquarters, while preserving strong family ties and frequent visits to .

Junior racing career

Karting

Liam Lawson began his racing career in karting at the age of six in 2008, competing initially in the Cadet class at local New Zealand clubs such as Mt Wellington Kart Club. By 2013, at age 11, he had progressed to the Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha class, securing second place in the Kartsport Schools Championship and competing in the National Sprint Championship, where he achieved consistent top finishes. During the 2013-2014 seasons, Lawson participated in various regional events, including podium results at the Kart Club's Blossom Festival, where he excelled in the 125cc Junior class by winning seven out of eight races in 2014. In 2014, Lawson dominated the national level, clinching two major titles in the Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha category. He won the NZ National Sprint Championship at the Easter meeting in , outperforming competitors like Jayden Pahl to take the overall class victory. Later that year, he secured the Kartsport NZ National Schools Championship title at the July event in Hamilton, marking his second national win of the season and solidifying his reputation as a top junior karter in . Following his successful 2014 campaign, Lawson briefly continued in 2015, finishing third in the NZ National Kart Championship in the Junior Restricted class before transitioning to single-seater racing later that year at age 13. This move came after he had established dominance in karting, prompting his shift to the Formula First Manfeild Winter Series to pursue higher levels of competition.

Formula 4 and regional series

Lawson made his debut in single-seater racing at the age of 13 in the 2015 Formula First Manfeild Winter Series in , competing for Sabre Motorsport. He secured a victory in his first race from and achieved ten podium finishes over the six-round event, finishing as runner-up overall. In the 2015-16 Hi-Q Components Formula First Championship, Lawson continued with the series, achieving multiple wins and qualifying on for several rounds, though he finished sixth in the final standings; he was awarded of the Year for his dominant performances. Building on his karting achievements, Lawson transitioned to Formula 4 in 2017 with a last-minute entry into the Australian Formula 4 Championship for BRM. He won on debut at , taking two victories and four runner-up finishes in the opening rounds to lead the standings early on, before reliability issues affected his campaign; overall, he secured five wins and eleven podiums from 21 races, finishing second in the championship with 294 points behind champion Nick Rowe. In 2018, Lawson relocated to to contest the ADAC Formula 4 Championship with , facing the challenge of adapting to new circuits and a more competitive field. He started strongly with a in his European debut at Oschersleben and added two more at , before claiming his first win at —where he swept two victories and a second place in the weekend—followed by another at the ; these results, along with six additional , propelled him to second in the drivers' standings with 245 points, 114 behind champion Lirim , while earning him the top rookie honors.

Toyota Racing Series

Lawson made his debut in the Toyota Racing Series (TRS), New Zealand's premier open-wheel development category, during the 2019 season with the M2 Competition team. Building on his prior experience in Formula 4 series, which had honed his adaptability to higher-speed machinery, he quickly adapted to the demanding FT-50 chassis powered by a 2.0-liter Toyota engine. Competing against a field that included fellow emerging talents like Marcus Armstrong, Lawson demonstrated consistent pace across the 15-race calendar held over five triple-header weekends at circuits such as Highlands, Teretonga, Hampton Downs, Pukekohe, and Manfeild. In 2019, Lawson secured four victories and nine podium finishes, clinching the championship by a narrow 10-point margin over Armstrong in a season-long duel resolved only in the finale. His standout performances included a dominant win in the opening race at and a crucial victory in the at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, where a post-race penalty to Armstrong confirmed Lawson's title. This triumph not only marked him as the first Kiwi driver to win the series since Brendon Hartley in 2007 but also propelled him into the , providing essential funding for his transition to European single-seater racing and attracting key sponsorship support from entities like Rodin Cars. Returning to defend his crown in with the same team, Lawson again showcased his prowess amid intensified international competition, including stablemate and Brazilian . Despite achieving five race wins—the most in the field—and 10 podiums from 15 starts, a rare engine failure during the Hampton Downs round cost him valuable points, leading to a runner-up finish behind Fraga by just eight points. Notable results included victories at Teretonga and Highlands, as well as strong showings at Manfeild, where he earned second place in the feature race. His participation in the that year, integrated into the TRS schedule at Hampton Downs, further highlighted his continued dominance on home soil, building on his 2019 success and prior involvement in the event dating back to 2018. The TRS campaigns were pivotal for Lawson's career trajectory, serving as a high-visibility platform in Oceania that bridged his regional Formula 4 achievements to global junior formulas while generating the sponsorship and financial backing necessary for sustained European competition.

FIA Formula 3 Championship

Lawson entered the in 2019 as a member of the , having earned his seat through a dominant victory in that year's Toyota Racing Series with four wins and nine podiums. Driving for , he adapted to the competitive field over 16 races, securing two podium finishes—third in the Silverstone feature race and third in the Monza sprint race—while accumulating 41 points to end the season 11th in the drivers' standings. Later that November, Lawson competed in the 66th with the same team, starting from 20th on the grid before charging through the field to finish seventh in the FIA F3 World Cup event, earning four superlicence points in the process. For 2020, Lawson switched to under continued support, benefiting from enhanced development resources including simulator work and testing sessions. The season, disrupted by the , featured a condensed calendar of 18 races across fewer venues, starting in July at the . Lawson claimed three victories—at the sprint race, feature race, and feature race—along with six podiums overall, amassing 143 points to finish fifth in the championship behind title winner . His strong performance, including consistent points finishes in 15 of 18 races, secured his promotion to FIA Formula 2 for 2021.

FIA Formula 2 Championship

Liam Lawson entered the in 2021 with , marking his debut in the series as a driver. He secured his maiden F2 victory in the sprint race, starting from pole and overtaking early leaders to win by over six seconds. Lawson added a second sprint race win at , along with podium finishes in and , contributing to four podiums overall. These results helped him finish ninth in the drivers' standings with 103 points, despite a challenging mid-season with fewer top finishes. For the 2022 season, Lawson switched to Carlin Motorsport ahead of the campaign, partnering in a lineup aimed at challenging for the title. He began strongly with podiums in before claiming his first win of the year in the Jeddah sprint race, navigating multiple periods to lead from the front. Lawson followed this with a feature race victory at , starting from 14th and capitalizing on strategic tire management to overtake rivals in the closing stages. His third win came in the Spa-Francorchamps sprint race, where he defended the lead under pressure to extend his points lead. He added a fourth triumph in the sprint race, which was red-flagged early, securing victory after a dominant restart. These efforts, combined with six additional podiums—including second places at and —propelled him to third in the championship with 206.5 points, behind champion and runner-up Théo Pourchaire. A pivotal moment in Lawson's 2022 campaign occurred at , where early promise turned into setbacks. He initially claimed provisional pole for the feature race but received a five-place grid penalty for improving under yellow flags after ' crash, dropping to sixth. In the feature race start, Lawson made contact with at Sainte Devote, earning a 10-second time penalty that relegated him to 12th after serving it during his stop. He recovered to seventh in the sprint race from 12th on the grid but could not salvage significant points, highlighting the tight margins in his battle with Pourchaire, who closed the gap with consistent finishes. Lawson's F2 performances, building on three podiums from his prior FIA Formula 3 season that granted initial superlicence eligibility, amassed the required 40 points for a Formula 1 superlicence by mid-2022 through his third-place finish and multiple victories. This accumulation, totaling over 50 superlicence points including prior junior series results, paved the way for his promotion to Racing's reserve driver role in July 2022 following ' dismissal.

Formula One career

2023 season

Lawson entered the 2023 Formula One season as the reserve driver for and its sister team , a role secured by his strong second-place finish in the 2022 . In this capacity, he conducted extensive simulator sessions at facility and participated in in-season testing to support car development and prepare for any potential race appearances. When AlphaTauri driver suffered a fractured metacarpal in a crash during first practice for the on August 25, Lawson received a late call-up to replace him, beginning with the at . He arrived just 48 hours before the event, undergoing intensive briefings and familiarization with the car. In his debut, Lawson qualified 20th after a challenging session impacted by limited preparation time and set a career-best starting position at that point, before finishing 13th in the race amid tight midfield battles and overtakes on the undulating track. Lawson continued in the AlphaTauri for the next four races, steadily adapting to the demands of a full grand prix weekend. His performances highlighted solid racecraft and tire management, often outpacing expectations for a debutant while competing against more experienced midfield rivals. He scored his maiden points at the with a ninth-place finish, capitalizing on strategic pit stops and consistent pace in humid conditions to hold off late challenges. Across the stint, Lawson accumulated two championship points, finishing 20th overall in the drivers' standings despite participating in only five events. The following table summarizes Lawson's results during his 2023 Formula One appearances:
Grand PrixQualifying PositionRace PositionPoints
Dutch ()20th13th0
Italian ()12th11th0
10th9th2
Japanese (Suzuka)11th11th0
(Austin)12th (started 19th due to penalty)11th0
After the on October 22, Ricciardo returned to the AlphaTauri seat for the , prompting Lawson to resume his reserve duties for the remainder of the season. Concurrently, he pursued commitments in other series, including the and Super , balancing these with ongoing simulator and development work for .

2024 season

Lawson continued his role as a reserve for and Racing Bulls at the start of the 2024 season, participating in free practice sessions to support the team's development program. He drove in FP1 at the , where he completed 23 laps and finished 18th on the timesheets, providing valuable feedback on the RBPT-powered car's setup amid high track temperatures. Similarly, during the at the , Lawson took part in FP1, posting the 20th fastest time after 25 laps, helping the team evaluate tire wear and on the demanding layout. Following Daniel Ricciardo's departure from Racing Bulls after the , Lawson was promoted to a full-time race seat for the remaining events, starting with the . In his return to competitive action, he qualified 18th but finished 15th in the main race after a steady but unspectacular run limited by traffic and limited overtaking opportunities on the street circuit. The following weekend at the in Austin, Lawson delivered a standout performance, qualifying 12th and finishing to score his first points of the season, benefiting from a strong start and consistent pace in the midfield battle. Lawson's stint included challenging results in subsequent races, finishing 16th in after qualifying 12th but losing positions due to strategy and traffic issues. At the Brazilian Grand Prix, he qualified a strong fifth—his best of the season—and held on for ninth place in wet conditions, adding two more points through resilient driving amid safety cars and incidents. He ended the year with non-scoring finishes of 16th in , 14th in , and 17th in , where a five-second penalty for pit lane speeding dropped him from a potential points position. Over the seven races, Lawson accumulated four points, finishing 21st in the Drivers' Championship and demonstrating improved consistency compared to his limited 2023 outing, where he scored two points across five appearances. Teamed with , who remained the lead driver, Lawson contributed significantly to car development by offering detailed feedback on setup changes and balance, helping the team address understeer issues prevalent in the VCARB 01 chassis. Their partnership was competitive, with Lawson outqualifying Tsunoda once in and nearly matching him in race pace overall, fostering a collaborative dynamic that aided Racing Bulls' mid-season upgrades. Post-season, on December 19, 2024, Red Bull announced Lawson's promotion to the main team alongside for 2025, recognizing his maturity and potential shown in the late-2024 campaign.

2025 season

In December 2024, announced that Liam Lawson would partner for the 2025 season, replacing after the Mexican driver's underwhelming 2024 campaign. Lawson's stint with began at the Australian Grand Prix on March 16, where he qualified 18th but crashed out on a wet track during the race, failing to finish. In the following on March 23, he qualified last in 20th but recovered to 12th in the main race after penalties were applied to other drivers, though he earned no points; he also finished 14th in the sprint race. Following these results, which highlighted a significant performance gap to Verstappen, demoted Lawson after just two races, swapping him with ahead of the on April 6 in a "purely sporting decision" aimed at optimizing . Lawson returned to Racing Bulls, where he adapted to the team's car despite initial setup challenges that affected his confidence. At Racing Bulls, Lawson contested the remaining 19 races (of the 21 completed as of November 2025), scoring all 36 of his season points and achieving a career-best fifth place at the in September, where he qualified third on a damp track and held off challenges to secure the result. Other notable performances included an eighth-place finish at the in May, earning four points, and consistent points in six races overall amid five retirements. Incidents marked his season, such as a near-miss with two s crossing the track at the Mexico City Grand Prix in October, where he finished 20th; the FIA cleared Lawson of blame, attributing the danger to marshal positioning. At the Brazilian Grand Prix on November 7–9, he qualified 17th for the sprint after a timing error in SQ1 and 10th for the main race, finishing 7th in the Grand Prix after holding off his teammate on the final lap to earn six points. As of November 16, 2025, Lawson is 14th in the drivers' standings with 36 points from 21 starts. Looking ahead, Lawson is competing for a confirmed seat in 2026 amid Red Bull's driver evaluations and the introduction of new power unit regulations, emphasizing the need for stronger results to secure his position over rivals like Tsunoda.

Other racing series

Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters

In 2021, Liam Lawson competed in the full (DTM) season as part of his commitments, marking his debut in GT3 . Driving a GT3 Evo for the AlphaTauri AF Corse team alongside , the 19-year-old New Zealander adapted quickly to the series' demands, which differed significantly from open-wheel formulae due to the cars' rear-engine layout, higher weight, and emphasis on endurance-like strategy in sprint formats. Lawson made an immediate impact by securing pole position and victory in the opening race at Monza, leading from start to finish in a field of experienced GT drivers and becoming the first Ferrari driver to win a DTM race since 2017. He followed this with another pole at Monza's second race, finishing second after a strong defense, and added podiums at Lausitzring (second in both races), Zolder (third), Assen (second), and Hockenheim (second). Further wins came at the Red Bull Ring (race one) and Hockenheim (race one), bringing his total to three victories, four poles, and 10 podiums across 16 races. Despite a challenging final round at , where a collision with ended his title hopes, Lawson clinched second place in the drivers' standings with 227 points, just 3 behind champion . His performances helped secure the teams' championship, highlighting his rapid adaptation to GT3 handling—particularly the traction challenges in low-speed corners and —while balancing the schedule with his FIA 2 campaign. Lawson later reflected on the series as a valuable learning experience in car control and racecraft beyond open-wheel racing.

Super Formula

Liam Lawson competed in the 2023 Super Formula Championship with Team Mugen, taking the seat vacated by Ukyo Sasahara, who had moved to Vantelin Team TOM'S. He made an immediate impact by winning the opening race at Fuji Speedway on his debut, starting from third on the grid after a strong qualifying performance. Lawson secured two more victories during the season, at Autopolis in round 4 and Fuji in round 6, where he started from second in qualifying and led comfortably to the checkered flag. These results contributed to four podium finishes overall, including a second-place in the season finale at Suzuka, where he claimed pole position for the race but was overtaken late on by Kakunoshin Ota. Lawson finished runner-up in the drivers' standings behind champion , earning Team Mugen the teams' title and himself the Rookie of the Year award. His strong performance in the high-downforce SF23 chassis, which generates levels comparable to Formula 1 cars, demonstrated quick adaptation from Formula 2, with Lawson noting the series' aero characteristics felt closer to F1 than his prior open-wheel experience. This second-place finish awarded him 20 points toward his , bolstering his credentials as a reserve driver. Lawson's schedule was coordinated around his Formula 1 reserve duties, allowing him to contest all nine races despite overlapping commitments; the final rounds at Suzuka followed his F1 appearance at the , showcasing effective logistical planning by . In 2024, Lawson did not participate in Super Formula, focusing instead on his expanded Formula 1 reserve role before securing a race seat midway through the season.

Racing records and statistics

Career summary

Liam Lawson's racing career began in karting and rapidly progressed through regional and international single-seater series, showcasing consistent podium contention and championship challenges before reaching . Joining the in marked a pivotal step, providing support for his ascent to elite levels of motorsport. His achievements across series highlight a strong record in junior categories, with multiple vice-championships and a title win in the Racing Series, transitioning smoothly to higher formulae like F3 and F2 where he secured race victories and top-five finishes.
SeriesYearsTeam(s)StartsWinsPodiumsPolesPointsPosition(s)
Karting2008–2014Various ()N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AMultiple titles, including 2 national in 2014
(Australian & )2017–2018Team BRM, 339226N/A2nd (both years)
Toyota Racing Series2019–2020M2 Competition2312208N/A1st (2019), 2nd (2020)
FIA Formula 32019–2020MP Motorsport, Hitech GP364112N/A11th (2019), 5th (2020)
FIA Formula 22021–2022Hitech GP, Carlin495164N/A8th (2021), 3rd (2022)
2021 (Ferrari)1631052272nd
Super Formula2023Team Mugen9351106.52nd
FIA 2023–2025 / Visa Cash App RB / 320003614th (2025)
In , as of November 2025, Lawson has completed 32 starts, scoring a total of 36 points across his appearances with Racing Bulls and teams, achieving a career-best championship position of 14th in the 2025 season. His highest race finish is fifth place, recorded once in 2025 at the . Notable milestones include his Formula One debut in 2023 at the , replacing the injured at AlphaTauri, and earning his first career points with a ninth-place result at the that same year.

Australian Formula 4 Championship (2017)

Liam Lawson competed in the 2017 Australian Championship with BRM, finishing second in the drivers' standings with 5 wins and 13 podiums across 21 races.
RoundCircuitRace 1Race 2Race 3
1Winton2nd2nd1st
2Winton1st2nd2nd
39th1stDNF
47th3rd3rd
510th4th6th
6The Bend6th6th3rd
71st4th1st

ADAC Formula 4 Championship (2018)

Lawson raced for in the 2018 , securing 3 wins and finishing as runner-up in the standings.
RoundCircuitRace 1Race 2Race 3
1Oschersleben3rd17th17th
22nd2nd6th
31st2nd1st
43rd6th1st
52nd18th-
66th15th14th
72nd3rd16th

Toyota Racing Series (2019–2020)

Lawson won the 2019 title with M2 Competition, claiming 5 victories and the . In 2020, he finished second with another 5 wins.

2019

RoundCircuitRace 1Race 2Race 3Race 4
1Manfeild1st5th1st-
2Hampton Downs2nd---
3Teretonga7th3rd1stDNF
41st2nd3rd3rd
5Manfeild2nd5th1st-

2020

RoundCircuitRace 1Race 2Race 3
1Highlands1st5th1st
2Teretonga6th3rd1st
3Hampton Downs2nd2ndDNF
4Manfeild1st4th1st
5Taupo2nd5th3rd

Euroformula Open Championship (2019)

Lawson achieved runner-up honors in the 2019 Euroformula Open with Motopark, recording 4 wins.
RoundCircuitRace 1Race 2
1Jarama1st4th
2Valencia1stDNF
3Monza3rd5th
4Barcelona3rdDNF
5Paul Ricard3rd10th
6Hungaroring1st6th
7JerezDNF1st

FIA Formula 3 Championship (2019–2020)

In 2019 with MP Motorsport, Lawson finished 11th overall. He improved to fifth in 2020 with Hitech Grand Prix, securing 3 wins and 6 podiums.

2019

RoundCircuitRace 1Race 2
1BarcelonaDNF17th
2Silverstone9th5th
3Hungaroring14th25th
4Spa-Francorchamps8th3rd
5Monza16th9th
6Sochi12th19th
7Jerez7th2nd
8Macau*18th8th

2020

RoundCircuitRace 1Race 2
16th1st
28thDNF
3DNFDNF
41st7th
53rd5th
62nd7th
79th3rd
86th7th
910th1st
*Macau Grand Prix (2019): Lawson started 20th and finished 7th.

FIA Formula 2 Championship (2021–2022)

Lawson placed 8th in 2021 with (1 win). In 2022 with Carlin, he finished third with 5 wins and 13 podiums.

2021

RoundCircuitSprint Race 1Sprint Race 2Feature Race
11stDNF3rd
29thDQ7th
3DNF7th6th
47th5th11th
55th4thDNF
6DNF-7th
72ndDNF9th
85th6thDNF

2022

RoundCircuitSprint RaceFeature Race
13rd2nd
21stDNF
38thDNF
49th9th
58thDNF
63rd15th
720th3rd
8Spa-FrancorchampsDNF10th
91st6th
10Spa-Francorchamps6th7th
111st3rd
124th12th
135th13th
14Yas Marina1st3rd

Formula One (2023–2025)

Lawson debuted in 2023 with AlphaTauri, scoring 2 points across 5 races. In 2024 with Visa Cash App RB, he competed in 7 races from , earning 6 points. For 2025, he started with for the first two rounds before moving to Racing Bulls from round 3, accumulating 28 points through consistent finishes up to the Brazilian Grand Prix (as of November 16, 2025).

2023 (AlphaTauri)

RoundGrand PrixPositionPoints
1313th0
1411th0
159th2
1611th0
1917th0

2024 (Visa Cash App RB)

RoundGrand PrixPositionPoints
189th2
199th2
2016th0
219th2
2216th0
2314th0
24DNF0

2025 (Red Bull Racing / Racing Bulls)

RoundGrand PrixPositionPoints
112th0
210th1
314th0
48th4
511th0
69th2
714th0
88th4
910th1
107th6
11Britain11th0
129th2
138th4
1410th1
1512th0
165th10
1711th0
189th2
1910th1
207th6

New Zealand Grand Prix

Lawson won the 2019 as part of the Toyota Racing Series finale, securing the championship. He also placed second in 2020.
YearPosition
20191st
20202nd

References

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