Liam Lawson Reveals the Hidden F1 Seat Fight: It Wasn’t Just Daniel Ricciardo He Had to Beat

Liam Lawson will spend the rest of the F1 season on the RB bench, expressing relief at the end of what he says has been a “not easy year for me”.

Lawson will lead RB in the remaining six Grands Prix and three Sprints of F1’s record-breaking calendar after the decision was made to sack Daniel Ricciardo and give 22-year-old Liam Lawson more chances.

Liam Lawson suddenly attracted attention last year when he appeared in five races as a replacement for Ricciardo, who crashed during practice for the Dutch Grand Prix and suffered multiple fractures to his left hand.

This was Ricciardo’s third return after leaving McLaren at the end of 2022, two years into his three-season contract.

After recovering from injury and returning to the cockpit, Ricciardo remained at RB this year but struggled with inconsistent performances and Lawson was given the chance.

Lawson understands that had it not been for Ricciardo’s injury last year, he would not have been given the chance to wait almost a year to spend his time as a reserve driver for Red Bull and RB.

“This year has certainly not been easy for me,” Lawson said in an interview with RacingNews365. “I was able to participate in some F1 races last year, but not this year.”

“At the same time, if it weren’t for last year’s race, I wouldn’t be eligible for this spot right now.”

“But I learned a lot this year in my role as a reserve driver. F1 is completely different to other racing classes and I really learned a lot this year. It can’t be compared to

“And I benefited a lot from being in the team. Being in the paddock at every race, I learned a lot, especially in terms of communication within the team, I’m talking about communication between the engineers.”

Lawson: There was no competition for survival with Ricardo
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson rejected the idea that there was an “F1 survival battle” between him and Ricciardo.

Reflecting on his relationship with Ricardo over the past 21 months, Lawson said: “Daniel helped me last year and this year we’ve always had a good relationship. He’s always helped me.”

Naturally, Lawson said the pair were “fighting for places”, but added: “But it’s not just me and him. It’s not just a battle between me and him. Everyone fights in F1 to get or keep a seat.

“We are fighting to survive in F1. But between me and him it has never been like that. Maybe it’s because we are at different stages of our careers, but our relationship has always been good.”

Lawson thanks Marco for his support

Liam Lawson’s strong performance last year sparked rumors that Audi were interested in signing him alongside Nico Hulkenberg in 2025.

But Lawson was determined to remain in the Red Bull family and fulfill the promise he received from councilor Helmut Marko several years ago.

“To be honest, I always thought about Red Bull Racing,” Lawson said. “Of course, if Red Bull had said they didn’t want to continue with my contract, I would have chosen other options. But Red Bull has always been in my mind and now the opportunity has come. I’m happy that

“I’ve been with Red Bull for six years and that’s why I always imagined racing for the Red Bull family, so I’m also very grateful to Helmut. Many years ago, when I was 16, they brought him here from the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand.

“And he allowed me to reach the pinnacle of F1. He told me at the time that his goal was to get into F1, and now he has achieved that goal. That’s why I’m so grateful to him, because without him it wouldn’t be was possible.”

“Also, of course, I am very grateful to Christian Horner. He is a man of his word. I am also grateful to the entire Red Bull family, who has invested so much energy and time in me.”

“In addition to the time in the simulator, we were also able to do a day of testing. It was important time on the track and also to prepare the bodywork for the Grand Prix weekend.”

Category: F1 / Liam Lawson / Daniele Ricardo / Visa Cash Up RB