Returning to the track where he made his Formula 1 debut two years ago, Liam Lawson has taken the chance to reflect on his whirlwind journey, from stepping in as an unexpected rookie to enduring the highs and lows of Red Bull’s driver programme, and now settling into life at Racing Bulls with renewed confidence.
For the 23-year-old Kiwi, Zandvoort represents a “full circle moment.” It was here in 2023 that he was thrown into F1 at short notice, and two years later, he finds himself back in the cockpit with a stronger sense of belonging.
“Ah, no, it has been very wild,” Lawson admitted when asked about his career rollercoaster.
“I was thinking about it today that I can’t believe it’s been two years. It feels like a lot has happened, so it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long, but it just feels like a lot has happened. It’s been very hectic, very busy, and even this year has been quite crazy, so I would say the last few months have been the most stable that it’s been.”
Lawson has not shied away from the difficulties of his Red Bull journey. Watching his former teammate Yuki Tsunoda face the same challenges he once encountered brought back memories of his own brief first stint.
“It’s tricky because when I looked back at how it was for me, I was there two races on two tracks I’d never been to, and I think the more I look back and think that maybe I was naive to think that I would be given the time to adapt to it,” Lawson told Sky Sports F1.
“So it’s really tough. I definitely feel sympathy for a driver that’s struggling in that position because it’s a very, very tough sport, and it’s never nice to see somebody struggling in an environment.”
Despite the bruising experience, Lawson has clarified where his true ambition lies. While being a Red Bull Racing driver once seemed like the end goal, his broader dream has always been bigger.
“It’s tough. I think my dream is as much as I wanted to be a Red Bull racing driver, that’s what I’ve worked towards, from becoming a Red Bull junior, the dream I’ve had since I was five years old has been to be a world champion, has been winning in Formula 1 and to reach the top of the sport,” he explained.
“I think that’s more or less where my dream sits, where my goal is, trying to become the best. That’s what we’re all working towards, and I think where I do that is not so clear, you know as much as I thought it was, so I think doing it over again, probably things, yes, that maybe you know you can do things differently. You always learn things afterwards, you always look back, and with hindsight, there are always things you can do better.”
Lawson’s very first experience in Formula 1 was a harsh but valuable introduction to the level required to succeed. Running at Zandvoort in 2023, he vividly remembers being shown the gulf between a rookie and Max Verstappen.
“The thing that did it for me was my first time in F1 [at Zandvoort], and I’ll never forget that in practice 3 was my first time driving the car. I was just battling around, trying to get comfortable.
“I came to the last corner, and it was wet. Max was behind, and I let him by. He came around me, and I watched the way he just slid around the corner out to the kerb on the exit, and after watching him do that, I was like, ‘I am nowhere near that comfortable to just let it slide.’
“I came around the next lap, and I spun the car. That was when I slid down the track at the end of practice.”
Lawson recognises that Verstappen’s brilliance comes not only from Red Bull machinery but from his ability to adapt to any car immediately.
“You get there over time, I think, and he’s been there a long time, and I don’t know if the car is built around him or whatever. He’s just at the point where he’s that comfortable. Maybe for him, he’s just able to get there a lot quicker,” Lawson said.
With Red Bull now behind him, Lawson is intent on channelling his energy into Racing Bulls, where consistency and team relationships are the focus.
“You learn things along the way that you go, okay, we’re gonna do this again next week because this worked pretty well for us this week, and you learn things about the relationship with your engineer,” Lawson explained.
“He understands what you like, communication-wise, and it just gets better, and it gets more comfortable, and you spend less time finding these things out.”
Under new Team Principal Laurent Mekies, Racing Bulls is working to provide equal opportunities for its drivers. And Lawson is already capitalising on that stability.
At Zandvoort this weekend, he looked assured from the outset. The Kiwi outpaced rookie teammate Isack Hadjar in Friday practice, ran inside the top five on long runs, and converted that speed into a strong qualifying performance.
Lawson secured 8th on the grid, with Hadjar producing a career-best 4th. It marked Racing Bulls’ strongest combined qualifying of the season, giving them a genuine chance of big points in Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix.
“It’s good to be in Q3, but of course, the ambition is always to be starting further up. Our speed was very promising throughout qualifying, and unfortunately, we went slower in Q3, so there will be some things to look into,” Lawson said afterwards.
“The tyres are very sensitive here in Zandvoort, and getting the balance right with the wind is tough. The track is very physical, and it will be important to have a strong start tomorrow, given how tricky it is to overtake. The car has great potential, and overall it’s a positive Qualifying for the team.”
Looking ahead, two years on from his F1 debut, Lawson has distanced himself from the Red Bull saga that once defined his career narrative.
Now, the Kiwi is focused on progress, stability, and the long-term pursuit of his ultimate goal: becoming a Formula 1 world champion.
The Dutch Grand Prix is set to get underway at 1:00am Monday NZST, with Oscar Piastri starting from pole position. McLaren will lock out the front row for the 69th time in history, surpassing Ferrari for second on the all-time list, with only Mercedes (82) ahead.
The milestone comes on what would have been the 88th birthday of team founder Bruce McLaren, adding an extra layer of significance for the Woking-based team.
Header Image: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool
Liam seems to have practical position on where he is and what he needs to do to progress.He shows loyalty to Red Bull but if he can keep on this trajectory he may become attractive to other teams as well