Lawson’s lack of experience counts against gaining F1 drive
All the Red Bull young drivers were taken into consideration . . . They need to do another year or two in their categories and then we will see what the future will bring.
Team principal Franz Tost
Liam Lawson’s lack of experience was a key reason why he was overlooked for a Formula One seat next season, says Scuderia AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost.
Lawson has been the reserve driver for Red Bull and AlphaTauri this season and the designated rookie practice driver for AlphaTauri’s two mandated sessions. The first of those came in Belgium, while the Kiwi will take his second drive today in Mexico.
However, with Pierre Gasly departing Red Bull’s sister team for Alpine next season, AlphaTauri signed Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries in his place rather than Red Bull academy driver Lawson.
Tost said Lawson was one of several academy drivers considered but the team decided against an inhouse hire.
“All the Red Bull young drivers were taken into consideration. There’s Liam Lawson, there’s [Ayumu] Iwasa, there’s [Dennis] Hauger in Formula 2, then [Isack] Hadjar in Formula 3, but they all still miss experience,” Tost said.
“They need to do another year or two in their categories and then we will see what the future will bring.”
In his second year of Formula 2, Lawson is seventh with one race remaining. With 123 points, including three wins and eight podium appearances, he has surpassed the 109 points earned in his debut season.
The 20-year-old looks set for a third season at that level in 2023 after missing out on the AlphaTauri seat but will look to make the most of his remaining opportunities in a Formula One car this year.
While reaching his allotment with the team this weekend, Lawson could find at least one more opportunity to get behind the wheel of an F1 car, as Red Bull have one rookie session owing.
Lawson is the reserve driver for AlphaTauri and Red Bull, and a likely candidate to be offered that drive later in the year.
He will be hoping the weather is fine for his full one-hour drive today. In Belgium, the Formula 2 star spent most of his drive on hard tyres and didn’t get an opportunity for a proper fast lap as the rain set in, seeing him parked before he was given a run on the soft compound. In Mexico, he expects different conditions to play a role.
“The track is at altitude, so the air is thinner,” Lawson said. “The track is very slippery and the tyres are very sensitive to overheating, on the surface especially, so the last sector is very important. Quite often, you see the cars sliding around a lot there.”
The drive comes at a convenient time in Lawson’s schedule, with Formula 2 not due to race again until the season’s final event in Abu Dhabi in mid-November. With 123 points, Lawson is just 13 behind third-placed Logan Sargeant. Fellow Kiwi Marcus Armstrong is 12th on 91 points.