More men have walked on the moon than there have been Formula 1 drivers from New Zealand and for Liam Lawson, he takes this as a badge of honour of his unique place in the sport.
The 22-year-old from Hastings returns to the F1 grid this weekend for Team RB at the United States Grand Prix in Austin after Aussie Daniel Ricciardo was dropped in favour of the Kiwi driver for the final six races of the season.
Lawson made his debut in the sport last year, replacing an injured Ricciardo for five races at the same team, and in doing so became only the tenth driver from New Zealand to race in Formula 1.
Speaking to The Roar in the Austin paddock on Thursday, Lawson said he is proud to represent New Zealand on the world stage and understands what it means to people back home.
“It’s something I felt for a long time, especially the last couple of years getting closer to Formula 1,” he said. “The support from home has been very positive, especially after I drove last year.
“To see and feel that, especially for the last couple of weeks, the messages and support I’ve seen is pretty cool.
“It’s obviously tough from New Zealand. It’s very, very hard. And it’s an unrealistic dream that a lot of people don’t think is possible.
“So as much as I want to do this for my dream, I also want to prove to everybody home that it is possible.”
(Photo by Getty Images)
Lawson impressed in his five race stint last year and has always remained in the conversation for a race seat at RB or the senior Red Bull team.
Those conversations continued to get louder across the 2024 season, particularly as both Ricciardo and Sergio Perez at Red Bull continued to struggle against their teammates Yuki Tsunoda and Max Verstappen.
A decision to replace Ricciardo at RB was finally made after the last race in Singapore, with the final six races seen as an audition for Lawson to remain on the grid full time in 2025 with either RB or potentially Red Bull if it goes well enough.
Lawson said the last 12 months had been difficult being a spectator, admitting that he wasn’t used to not being able to race.
“I’ve raced in a championship for every single year since I was seven years old,” he said. “Every year… it’s the awkward period in the break where you’re not in the championship…you always feel a bit weird and you feel like you’re missing out.
“So to do that for 12 months when I’ve done it for as many years as I have, is probably what made it feel more tough, and obviously made it more frustrating.”
He added that despite the frustration, he feels more prepared coming into his second stint in Formula 1 than he was a year ago.
“I appreciate the years that I’ve done,” he said. “I’m glad I’ve had all that experience and opportunity.
“As much as I would have loved to drive I think I’m more prepared for it.
“As much as it’s late in the season, I think ultimately I’m more prepared for it than in most cases.”
This article was originally written for The Roar. You can read the published version here
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