Liam Lawson’s path in racing feels like a wild ride.
Full of hope, tough moments, and real chance. It’s a story of a kid from New Zealand chasing a dream that keeps twisting and turning.
Climbing the Racing Ladder to Red Bull
Liam began karting when he was very young and won races right away. He triumphed in Formula First, Formula Ford, Formula 4, Formula 3 Asia, and the Toyota Racing Series and he often won on his very first try.
In 2019, after a big overtake in New Zealand, he caught the attention of Helmut Marko—Red Bull’s top talent scout—and earned a spot in the Red Bull Junior Team. Lawson later recalled how that call was “surreal” and “saved his career”.
He then climbed through F3 and F2, finishing third in F2 in 2022.
In 2023, he raced in Japan’s Super Formula championship and ended the season as runner-up. Meanwhile, Red Bull promoted him to be reserve driver for their F1 teams from 2022 to 2024.
On the F1 Rollercoaster: Debut, Hopes, and Twists
His big moment came in 2023 when he stepped into the F1 car at the Dutch Grand Prix, replacing Daniel Ricciardo after a crash.
He impressed right away, scoring his first F1 points with a ninth-place finish in Singapore. The media and fans praised him; one said his rookie run “mastered the waves,” pointing to his raw speed and calm attitude.
Lawson admitted he had “fallen in love” with F1 and aimed to secure a full-time seat for 2024. Yet AlphaTauri chose experience over youth.
Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda were picked for 2024, with the team saying they needed at least one experienced driver and couldn’t field “two young drivers”.
Lawson understood the decision, even if it meant another year on the sidelines.
But the dream stayed alive.
In late 2024, Red Bull confirmed Lawson would replace Sergio Pérez and join Max Verstappen for the 2025 season. That was a huge milestone.
The Highs, the Lows, and What Comes Next
Lawson’s rise was also a family story. He came from humble beginnings. His parents sold their house and his sisters gave up Irish dancing to help fund his karting.
He remembered finishing last in his first kart races but kept pushing. He has often said he’s grateful for the pressure and experience he got through Red Bull’s junior system it helped him handle big challenges.
But the rollercoaster ride spun again. After just two races in 2025, Red Bull dropped Lawson from their lineup due to poor early results.
They replaced him with Tsunoda, citing the need for stronger results, even though Verstappen himself had supported Lawson.
sLawson’s reaction was mature disappointed but thankful for the chance.
