Liam Lawson doesn’t think he can settle for anything less than a berth on the Formula 1 grid next season after his surprise mid-season call-up.
The New Zealander was drafted into race duties with Scuderia AlphaTauri after Daniel Ricciardo injured his hand during Free Practice 2 at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Red Bull’s nominated reserve driver, Lawson was thrust into action in difficult circumstances, seeing the chequered flag in a difficult event in Zandvoort.
He then put in a strong showing at the Italian Grand Prix, battling with Oscar Piastri in the latter stages to finish ahead of Scuderia AlphaTauri team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.
Lawson remains in the car for this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, the third Formula 1 race of his career.
“Obviously a big adjustment and a lot to learn very quickly,” he said of the experience to date.
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“I think Monza was a bit more straightforward too; track that I think I knew more and with more preparation, but then I think this weekend it’s a bit a little bit more tricky, obviously a new track, but yeah, pretty excited.
“Not really one thing, it’s a lot of things,” he added of the biggest challenge.
“The car is probably the biggest the biggest thing alone, but it’s stuff that comes with it like tyres, different compounds, running inters in Zandvoort, I hadn’t done that before, with a much bigger team – I think it’s a lot of things, not just one thing.”
Lawson’s impressive performances have created a quandary for Red Bull, with three drivers battling over two seats at Scuderia AlphaTauri next season.
Ricciardo is expected to return before the end of the season – and is on hand in Singapore – while Tsunoda has enjoyed his strongest season to date.
That is exacerbated by Lawson’s own ambitions.
“Now that I’ve had a taste, it’s definitely something I’ve fallen in love with,” he said of his desire to be on the grid in 2024.
“I don’t think I can settle for anything less.”
“I think it’s just making the most of this situation now,” he said when asked by Speedcafe about his chances for next season.
“Basically, I guess, we’ll see what happens.
“It’s obviously very rare to get an opportunity to drive in Formula 1 now, so it’s just making the most of it.”
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