Liam Lawson’s Japanese Rival Finds Elevated Prestige Amidst Battle for Title With Red Bull Junior

After a short stint in F1 with AlphaTauri, Liam Lawson is back to competing in the Super Formula season finale, where he will be going up against Japanese driver Ritomo Miyata for the title. As per a recent report by Motorsport.com, Riyata believes that Lawson’s foray into F1 has only increased the prestige of winning the Super Formula title.

Miyata explained that by stepping into F1, Lawson has elevated his status quite a bit from just being a Super Formula driver. The TOM’S driver said, “He has become a Formula 1 driver and he was able to show the level of Super Formula to the world.”

🗣️”I will be able to say: I am faster than a Formula 1 driver!”

Ritomo Miyata believes that Super Formula title rival Liam Lawson’s recent #F1 experience only makes the potential prestige of beating him greater, ahead of this weekend’s Suzuka finale ⬇️https://t.co/WLrezQ4ufl

— Autosport (@autosport) October 26, 2023

The Japanese youngster made it clear that winning the title against Lawson will also mean that he is faster than a Formula 1 driver. He said, “If I can win the championship, I think I will have more chances to race worldwide. I will be able to say: I am faster than a Formula 1 driver!”

Heading into the final race weekend of the season at Suzuka, Miyata is eight points ahead of Lawson in the standings. However, the final two races can shake up everything, and the likes of Tomoki Nojiri, the defending champion, can also get involved in the title fight.

Liam Lawson might be return to F1 if manages to win the Super Formula title

The Super Formula title will also be as important as ever for Lawson. The prodigy from New Zealand will surely hope to cement his place in the F1 grid after his temporary cameo in the 2023 season, and winning the Super Formula title will only increase his credibility for getting a drive.

Marko says Liam Lawson has the potential to be a GP winner and calls him as one of the strongest drivers ever in a duel 😳

“Lawson certainly has the potential to be a GP winner, as he has mastered all the tasks so far masterfully and under the most difficult conditions.”

“He’s… pic.twitter.com/UL05a0HDBf

— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) October 5, 2023

Lawson managed to put in some impressive performances throughout the five races that he stepped in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo. So much so that fans were even pushing for Lawson to be given a seat in the 2024 season.

However, it wasn’t meant to be, as AlphaTauri soon announced that they would be continuing with their current pairing of Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo for 2024. This means that Lawson would have to spend another year at least as a Red Bull reserve driver if he doesn’t get picked by any other team on the grid.

With Sergio Perez’s seat under threat following a disappointing season, Lawson might have a slight chance of getting a drive in 2025 if Red Bull decides to part ways with Perez. However, his main focus right now will definitely be on the Super Formula title.