Liam Lawson secures a Formula 1 seat with VCARB
Turners proudly congratulates Kiwi driver Liam Lawson on securing a Full-Time Formula 1 Seat.
The whole team at Turners is thrilled to congratulate Kiwi driver Liam Lawson on securing a full-time seat in Formula 1 for the rest of the 2024 season. This milestone marks a significant achievement in Liam’s career and is a testament to his dedication, talent, and relentless pursuit of excellence in motorsport.
Liam Lawson will step back into a Formula 1 seat from the next round and race for the Visa Cash App RB Racing Team in the nine remaining races of 2024. The 22-year-old New Zealander will replace Australian Daniel Ricciardo alongside his former team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.
Lawson, who first signed with Red Bull as a Junior driver on his 17th birthday, made his F1 debut with a successful five-race stint last year when he stood in for an injured Ricciardo.
"It feels like a long time coming but very exciting. There's been a lot of hard work from a lot of people for a lot of years. It's not just my dream but the dream of a lot of people around me to get a seat in the sport," said Liam. "It's very exciting."
"It's definitely been hard at times. There's been parts over the past couple of years, more so than not, that haven't been so much fun. Some difficult experiences but obviously I knew it was all part of the learning process and at the end of the day if it meant I was going to get a seat eventually I was always working towards that. And the goal never changed."
Liam’s journey to Formula 1 has been nothing short of remarkable. From driving a race kart at the age of 6 to making his debut in Formula 1 in 2023, Liam has consistently demonstrated his passion and skill on the track. He’s also been very clear on his dream to be an F1 driver. Turners has been supporting Liam since 2018, recognizing his potential and providing crucial backing during his formative years in European racing competitions.
“We could not be prouder of Liam” said Greg Hedgepeth, CEO of Turners Auto Retail. “He’s done it; he’s achieved his dream, and we could not be any more pleased. We’ve supported an exceptional young Kiwi to get to one of the most fiercely competitive arenas on the planet. I can’t wait to see the impact he will have.”
It’s been a long tough road for Liam in a high-pressure environment. He has consistently done all that has been asked of him progressing through the Red Bull program with good showings in Formula 3, Formula 2 and the DTS before Liam’s impressive 2nd place finish in his first season in the 2023 Super Formula Championship with Team Mugen in Japan.
And this year he’s patiently bided his time as the reserve driver for both Red Bull and VCARB after performing well above expectations last year when given the opportunity to drive.
Liam will rekindle his F1 career at the United States Grand Prix in Austin in October in much the same way he did twelve months ago at Zandvoort when he only got one Practice session after Ricciardo's accident before heading into qualifying and racing.
The Austin round also features a Sprint Race so Liam will only get one session in a car he hasn't yet driven before heading into qualifying. On top of that, Liam's VCARB car will get a back of the grid starting penalty due to receiving an engine change beyond the permitted number allowed throughout a season.
Liam is then in for a quick-fire end to the season with a double set of three back-to-back races. The week following the American race is the Mexican Grand Prix followed by Brazil. Then after a fortnight break the season concludes with races in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
As Liam competes at the highest level of motorsport, Turners remains committed to supporting him and we wish him well in his efforts to win.