The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix was a brutal eye-opener for the sport. While the safety standards in Formula 1 are unparalleled, the physical toll a race distance takes on a driver was exemplified in the harsh conditions at the Lusail International Circuit. But with drivers like Esteban Ocon and Logan Sargeant, amongst others, struggling F1 rookie Liam Lawson impressed his performance coach, Pyry Salmela with his race.
In an exclusive interview with The SportsRush’s Anirban Aly Mandal, Salmela revealed, “Liam actually did actually surprisingly well compared to what I heard from some, some others.” While Lawson finished in P17, what struck Salmela was how he dealt with the physical and mental exhaustion during and after the race.
Lawson’s super-sub performances during a handful of races in the later half of the 2023 season really allowed Pyry to gauge the kind of driver the young Kiwi was. And for him, he saw similarities with a Grand Prix winner – Pierre Gasly.
“Pierre is very fast, good in qualifying, very hard worker, great mindset. Liam had some similarities in a way with Pierre. You can really see that there’s like a good mindset,” concluded the Finn.
Has Liam Lawson booked himself an F1 seat after his 2023 exploits?
Liam Lawson really left an impact on the paddock after his substitute performances for an injured Daniel Ricciardo. While Qatar stood out for Salmela, another historically excruciating race marked a highlight in the Kiwi’s rookie year. At the 2023 Singapore GP, not only did Lawson out-qualify Max Verstappen, but he also drove a superb race to clinch his first F1 points.
Naturally, his stock rose exponentially in the driver’s market. Many even touted him to be getting a full-time seat at V-CARB for 2024 and beyond. In the end, the team decided to bank on experience and stuck with the line-up of Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda.
That being said, with Lewis Hamilton triggering arguably one of the craziest silly seasons in the history of the sport, Lawson’s name would be popping up often in the mix. Will the Bulls risk losing out on his talent, or has Lawson forced the team’s hand into taking a decision on his career soon? Only time will tell.
