Liam Lawson joined AlphaTauri amid an ensuing chaos. Over the course of the 2023 campaign, the Italian outfit used a total of four drivers and Lawson was one of them. The New Zealander left Karun Chandhok so impressed that the Sky F1 expert has made a tall claim. Chandhok believes the Faenza-based team should have extended Lawson’s tenure and showed Yuki Tsunoda the exit door.
Speaking on the recent episode of the Sky F1 podcast, Chandhok said, “He (Lawson) actually did better in the races than Yuki, to be honest. And when you compare Liam to Yuki, and you compare Daniel to Yuki, has Yuki really surpassed Liam more than Daniel? Or the other way around, has Daniel surpassed Yuki more than Liam? Probably not.”
Chandhok added, “There are of course commercial reasons why they had to keep Yuki, but you wonder if Daniel and Liam wouldn’t have been the more optimal line-up for them for 2024”.
Lawson joined AlphaTauri after Daniel Ricciardo fractured his wrist after a jolting crash at the Dutch GP. Before Lawson’s arrival, Ricciardo had an impressive stint.
The Aussie driver showed no signs of rust despite his long hiatus. His experience helped the team develop the car in the right direction. Many believed his absence would halt that progress. Lawson, however, made sure to pick the reigns up from where Ricciardo left.
Liam Lawson proved his mettle after stepping in for Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo‘s comeback after hand surgery was welcomed by the fans. However, Liam Lawson had, by then, left a lasting impression. His exit left fans and experts hoping to see him make a comeback in the near future. His performances were of such high quality that even Ricciardo couldn’t help but sing praises for the 21-year-old.
Planet F1 quoted Ricciardo as saying, “He (Lawson) did a great job, for sure. In terms of him currently not having a seat next year, I think it’s one of those ones where he’s young. I think it’s not like he’s at the end of his career, he’s very much in the early part of his career, so just keep persisting, keep your head down.”
Ricciardo churned in another bout of impressive performances on his comeback. His leadership in the development of the car resulted in AlphaTauri finishing ahead of both Alfa Romeo and Haas.
As a result of his contribution, Ricciardo earned a permanent seat in 2024. Lawson, however, will continue only in the capacity of Red Bull’s reserve and development driver. This does not mean that the New Zealander cannot land a permanent seat soon.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner clearly revealed recently that the seat alongside Max Verstappen is up for grabs for the 2025 season. He named Ricciardo as one of the candidates for it. If that happens, Lawson could replace Ricciardo at AlphaTauri.
