Liam Lawson recognises he faces a steep learning when he makes his F1 grand prix debut but has vowed to take an opportunity he claims he has waited his whole life for with both hands.
Red Bull and AlphaTauri reserve driver Lawson has been thrust into the limelight after Daniel Ricciardo broke a bone in his left hand following a crash during practice for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
Ricciardo was left with no alternative but to take avoiding action and plough into a barrier after fellow Australian Oscar Piastri had seconds earlier crashed into the same barrier, with his stricken McLaren on the racing line around the Turn 3 banking.
After being instructed to attend Friday evening’s drivers’ briefing, Lawson has confirmed he learned whilst sitting in on the session that he would be driving, forcing him to start paying closer attention.
Recalling the last 24 hours after qualifying last in difficult conditions following a rainy day at the seaside circuit, Lawson said: “It was all very quick.
“I was in the Red Bull garage watching the session, and, obviously, the crash was just a freak accident.
“It wasn’t a big crash or anything like that, it was just the way the steering wheel flicked around.
“It’s never something you want to see, so first of all, I felt for Daniel.
“I had the news that he had hurt his hand so I went to the drivers’ briefing as a precaution, and it was midway through the briefing that I got the message.”
As to what went through his mind, he said: “I was very focused then on the second half of that briefing.
“There was a lot to take in, and realising there would be a huge amount of learning to do over the next 24 hours.”
Lawson could not have asked for worse conditions to make his latest practice appearance – after doing an FP1 session for AlphaTauri in 2021 and with Red Bull last year – albeit on this occasion knowing he was preparing for a grand prix drive.
Rain dominated both FP3 and qualifying, with Lawson at one stage spinning in practice that left him facing the wrong way.
In qualifying, the New Zealander finished almost 1.2secs behind Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas who starts a place ahead of him in 19th.
Lawson was under no illusion of the difficulties he knew he would be facing.
“I was racing in Japan last weekend and flew straight here,” added Lawson, with regard to his Super Formula exploits.
“I definitely would have loved to have done more prep for this, especially the first couple of practice sessions.
“But an opportunity like this is something I’ve waited my whole life for, so I want to take it with both hands.”
The target for the race is simply to bring the car home.
“It is looking potentially dry (for the race) so I’ve got to re-learn everything again if it’s dry,” he said.
“It’s going to be a very tough race. I’m excited, but at the same time I know it’s going to be challenging, and we’ve a lot to get through, so I’m just after a clean race, to make the most of the opportunity.
“It is going to be very tough in this situation. It will be a big learning curve, but by the end of the race, hopefully, I’ll be in a much more comfortable position with the car. That would definitely be the target.”
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