Liam
Lawson
New Zealand
·
F1
Date of birth | 11 February 2002 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Hastings, New Zealand |
Age | 23 |
Nationality | New Zealand |
Career start | 2011 |
Disciplines | Junior Team |
- 2022
- 3rd FIA F24 wins
- 2021
- 2nd DTM3 wins
- 9th FIA F21 win
- 2020
- 2nd Castrol Toyota Racing Series (M2 Competition Toyota)15 races - 5 wins, 10 podiums
- 5th FIA Formula 3 Championship18 races - 3 wins, 6 podiums
- 2019
- 1st New Zealand Grand Prix (M2 Competition Toyota)
- 1st Castrol Toyota Racing Series (M2 Competition Toyota)15 races - 5 wins, 11 podiums
- 2018
- 8th F3 Asian ChampionshipContested 3 races - 3 wins
- 2nd ADAC Formula 45 wins - 13 podiums - Team: Van Amersfoort Racing
- 2017
- 2nd CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 Championship21 races - 5 wins - 13 podiums - Team: BRM
- 1st NZ Formula F1600 Championship Series15 pole positions 14 wins and 1 x 2nd
- 2016
- 6th Hi.Q Components NZ Formula First Championship
- 2015
- 11th Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship - 100cc Junior Yamaha class
- 3rd Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship - Junior Rotax class
- 6th Formula First Series - Rookie of the Year
- 1st Formula First Manfeild Winter Series
- 2014
- 1st Kartsport NZ Schools Championship - 100cc Junior Restricted
- 1st Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship - 100cc Junior Restricted Yamaha class
- 2013
- 5th Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship - 100cc Junior Restricted Yamaha class
- 2nd Kartsport NZ Schools Championship - 100cc Junior Restricted
- 1st NZ CIK Championship - Junior Restricted
- 2012
- 8th Kartsport NZ Schools Championship - 100cc Junior Restricted
- 3rd Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship - Cadet class
- 1st NZ CIK Championship - Cadet Class
- 2011
- 13th Kartsport NZ Schools Championship - Cadet class
- 12th Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship - Cadet class
Liam is a quick learner, he won on debut in every category he raced: Formula First, Formula Ford, Formula 4, Formula 3 Asia and the Toyota Racing Series where he also completed the series as the 2019 champion in New Zealand, the day before his seventeenth birthday.
Winning from early age - 2012 NZ CIK championship win - Cadet class
© Red Bull Junior Team
His has been an impressive development certainly, all the more so because he does not come from a racing background. "My family was not previously involved in motorsport. My interest was first sparked when I was born and I used to sit with my Dad watching the racing. When I was six years old, I was given my first go-kart."
Photo at home after Cadet CIK win 2012
© Red Bull Junior Team
Things got rolling pretty quickly and from then on his family played a big part. "They have always been a massive part of my racing with their continued support which has been second to none."
Hamilton club champs, 2013, first win in Sodi kart Junior Restricted Yamaha
© Red Bull Junior Team
"They have made huge sacrifices for my career which I will forever be grateful for as there is no way I would be where I am now without them. My Dad used to work on my Kart when I was racing, despite having no previous knowledge. This meant that he had to learn fast."
He first raced karts aged seven, the Cadets class at Mt Wellington Kart Club. At thirteen he started racing formula cars, Formula First.
Formula First 2015, Speedsport scholarship winner
© Red Bull Junior Team
He has had a huge amount of international success starting with second in the 2018 ADAC F4 series in Germany.
Runner up, ADAC F4 2018
© Red Bull Junior Team
Liam was invited by Pinnacle Motorsport to contest the final round of the 2018 Asian Formula 3 Championship in the new 'halo-style' car. Liam took pole for both races by significant margins and victory in all 3 races.
Sepang, Malaysia, campaigning an F3 in the Asia Series 2018
© Red Bull Junior Team
He still loved racing at home as well and won the 64th New Zealand Grand Prix to clinch the Toyota series and that championship produced what he thinks of as his best race to date. "Round one, race three. This race was wet but a drying track and I started the race P3 and had Marcus Armstrong and Lucas Auer in front. I made two big passes and won the race by ten seconds. I felt very comfortable whilst getting faster and faster throughout the race."
Lucas Auer leads Marcus Armstrong and Liam Lawson, Highlands, 2019
© Red Bull Junior Team
Not surprisingly he pics the venue for that performance as his favourite race track. "Highlands is a fast-paced track that requires a lot of courage to take on. I enjoy the character this track has with bumps, camber, and elevation. T3 is a very long corner with a wall following the whole turn. T12 is a fast chicane leading straight onto a bridge that requires the car to be straight before approaching the crest as the cars are able to get air."
"My end goal is Formula One World Champion." With that goal, he hopes to exceed the achievements of his motorsports heroes, Richie Stanaway, Brendon Hartley and Kenny Smith who has been his mentor.
Winning at home, Toyota Racing Series 2019
© Red Bull Junior Team
Liam was still waiting to celebrate his second birthday when Kiwi motorsport legend Kenny Smith won his last New Zealand Grand Prix. Smith won his first NZ Grand Prix back in 1976 and was competing for the 48th time when Lawson won this year.
From those early beginnings, watching with Dad, Liam has totally fallen in love with the sport, the racing and winning, setting up the car, working with the team, getting the best out of the car even if it is not possible to win. "All of that is what really ensures my continued love of racing. It is something I find difficult to explain."
Winning in Mugello 2020 F3
© Dutch Photo Agency / Red Bull
"In 2020 my best race I would say would have to be Mugello, the best race, the last race of the year. I think it was one where we really had the car dialled in. Obviously, when you are looking after the tyres usually you either have massive front drop or massive back drop and that upsets the balance of the car, making it very hard to drive.”
Monza F2 2022
© Dutch Photo Agency / Red Bull
Monza F2 2022
© Dutch Photo Agency / Red Bull
“I'm excited for something completely new now that I am going to Japan for Super Formula. I've done 2 years of Formula 2 and obviously last year (2022) we finished strongly but didn't have the season that we set out to achieve.”
Abu Dhabi F2 2022
© Dutch Photo Agency / Red Bull
“So it's the right time for me to have a new challenge, as I have a super license it's a great opportunity to go to Japan and race in a very high-level championship. And with Super Formula, the cars are a lot closer to Formula 1 as well.”
Abu Dhabi F2 2022
© Dutch Photo Agency / Red Bull
“So from the driving side, it is a great opportunity to prepare for F1, driving high downforce cars. Plus to work with teams in Japan, those guys are very experienced and it helps to improve the relationship with Honda which I am excited to do, so all round I am very excited for 2023.”