The Racing Bulls driver is set to attend the Allied Petroleum Hampton Downs International on January 9–11, where he will be an off-track drawcard as the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy opens its new campaign alongside the championship round.

Lawson’s visit includes scheduled autograph sessions across the weekend, giving fans the chance to meet New Zealand’s only current Formula 1 driver before he heads back to Europe for pre-season preparations.

His appearance also supports the ongoing work of the Tony Quinn Foundation, where Lawson has served as an ambassador since 2021.

“Liam was the first Tony Quinn Foundation ambassador in 2021 and has remained a loyal and generous participant with the foundation ever since,” Repco NextGen NZ Championship CEO Josie Spillane said.

“He returns to Highlands most years for hot laps and today has been on track raising funds for Breast Cancer NZ thanks to several hot laps auctioned off in Tony Quinn’s Aston Martin Vulcan.

“Liam is part of the TQF family and even though he’s made it to the pinnacle of the sport he’s still more than happy to give back – he’s still the lad from Pukekohe who loves his home country, is a great ambassador for NZ Motorsport and loves to drive fast cars!”

Spillane said Lawson’s appearance would add another layer of excitement to the Hampton Downs event.

“Having him at Hampton Downs in January will be great for the local fans to meet our only F1 driver and wish him well before he heads back to Europe for the new season and it will add another layer to what is already shaping up as an incredible event,” she said.

The Hampton Downs weekend will be Lawson’s only motorsport-related appearance in January before Formula 1 testing begins, adding extra significance for local fans and aspiring young drivers.

Lawson has a strong personal connection to the Toyota single-seater pathway, having contested two seasons of the series — then known as the Toyota Racing Series — in 2019 and 2020.

He claimed the title in 2019 with M2 Competition, a campaign that included five race wins and victory in the New Zealand Grand Prix, before finishing runner-up the following year.

Since then, Lawson has progressed through Formula 3 and Formula 2, earning his Formula 1 debut in 2023. His return to Hampton Downs comes as the next generation of Toyota Formula Regional drivers look to follow a similar pathway, including 2025 series champion Arvid Lindblad, who joins the F1 grid this season.

The January event will also feature Round 2 of the Bridgestone GR86 Championship, the NZ Porsche Racing Championship and the multi-class GTRNZ Series, with all sessions broadcast live across Sky Sport NZ, Fox and Kayo in Australia, and online via YouTube.

Lawson heads into 2025 off the back of his first full Formula 1 campaign, where he scored 38 points and finished 14th in the world championship. He has since been re-signed by Racing Bulls for 2026, where he will be joined by Lindblad.