Liam Lawson will make his Formula 1 debut this weekend in the Dutch Grand Prix after AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo broke his hand in a crash in FP2 this morning.
The Australian driver’s injury came following contact with the Turn 3 wall when he was the first car to arrive on the scene following an Oscar Piastri crash at the same place. Piastri’s McLaren was left blocking the outside line of the banked turn, resulting in Ricciardo taking evasive action and nosing his machine into the barriers.
Despite initially appearing as low-speed contact, his steering wheel snapped violently on impact, and the 34-year-old immediately complained on the radio of wrist pain.
Ricciardo was seen with his left arm in a sling before leaving the venue to travel to a nearby hospital.
“After today’s incident during free practice 2 in Zandvoort, in which Daniel Ricciardo hit the barrier at Turn 3, he was brought to the local hospital, and further examinations were carried out,” the team said in a statement.
“An X-ray confirmed he sustained a break to a metacarpal on his left hand, and this injury will not allow him to continue his duties so that he will be replaced by the team’s reserve driver, Liam Lawson for the remainder of this weekend.
“The team wishes him all the best for the quickest possible recovery.”
While it’s unclear when Ricciardo will return from his injury, it’s expected he will also miss next weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
That gives the opportunity to Lawson, who was on standby at Zandvoort as the reserve driver for both Red Bull teams. The Kiwi has Formula 2 experience at Zandvoort, finishing fourth in last year’s Sprint race and 12th in the feature.
The 21-year-old also has Formula 1 experience from three free-practice sessions, two for AlphaTauri and one in Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, but the Dutch Grand Prix will be his first race.
Lawson’s first outing this weekend will come in FP3 at 9.30 pm (NZ Time), followed by qualifying at 1.00 am.
The Dutch Grand Prix begins at 1.00 am on Monday and will be shown live on Sky Sport.
Header Image: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
