Liam Lawson

Liam Lawson was born in Hastings, New Zealand, in 2002 and developed through karting before moving into single-seater racing in Oceania, Asia and Europe. He showed early promise in Formula 4 and Toyota Racing Series, then became part of the Red Bull junior programme. His career path also included Formula 3, Formula 2 and DTM, giving him experience in very different cars before a full Formula 1 opportunity arrived. Lawson made his Formula 1 debut in 2023 as a substitute for Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri, immediately impressing with calm, mature drives under pressure. His points finish in Singapore was especially important, showing he could adapt quickly to a difficult environment. Despite limited race starts, he built a reputation as a composed and hard-working driver who could step into an F1 seat with little preparation and still deliver. By 2026, Lawson is part of the Red Bull racing structure and remains one of New Zealand’s most important modern F1 figures. His career has been shaped by waiting, substitute chances and proving himself whenever the door briefly opened. That resilience has become central to his profile: he is not just a junior prospect, but a driver who has already shown he can handle the pressure of Formula 1.