“Pure ReIief”: Liam Lawson Reveals How His Father Felt Once He Got the RB Seat

After making his mid-season F1 debut in 2023 and competing in five races, Liam Lawson had to wait a long time for another opportunity. Red Bull signed him as a replacement for Daniel Ricciardo, giving him a chance to prove he belonged in the sport for the long term.

Lawson was thrilled and eager to show the world his talent—and his family was just as excited. He had been in discussions with Christian Horner for weeks leading up to his official announcement, and during that time, he avoided speaking with his father, uncertain about his future in the sport.

“So I spoke to Christian and then he left and I called my dad it was like 3:00 a.m. in New Zealand… “The first thing he said was, ‘Tell me,’ and I said, ‘I got it’. And I could just hear the relief in his voice, you know. It wasn’t excitement or ‘Oh my God, this is sick,’ it was just pure relief,” Lawson said on the Red Flags Podcast.

Lawson’s father, like many dads in the F1 paddock, played a pivotal role in shaping his junior career. After countless sacrifices and substantial expenses, Lawson finally made it to F1 in 2023. He even performed admirably in his five-race stint as Ricciardo’s replacement, but Red Bull (then AlphaTauri) opted to continue with the Australian for 2024.

Following Ricciardo’s challenging season, Red Bull decided to bring Lawson back after the Singapore GP. Lawson noted that his return was a relief for his father, as the journey to F1 was as much his father’s as his own. “My parents gave up so much for me to do this,” he added.

Lawson’s decent start to second F1 stint

The New Zealander had already shown in his initial races in 2023 that he belonged on the grid with the sport’s best drivers. His first race in 2024 reinforced that promise, as he scored points (finishing P9) in the U.S. Grand Prix while his teammate Yuki Tsunoda fell short.

However, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the 22-year-old. In Austin, he had a clash with Fernando Alonso during the Sprint Race, sparking some back-and-forth between the two drivers off the track. Alonso took several digs at him, even reminding him that he was fighting for a spot on the grid, when he was not.

Then again in Mexico, he had a heated moment with Sergio Perez, colliding with the Mexican in Turn 5, damaging Perez’s car. Later, when he passed the 34-year-old, he flipped him off on live television, prompting an angry response from Perez post-race.

While he apologized to Perez for his gesture, Lawson held his ground with Alonso, maintaining that he had done nothing wrong in Austin and refraining from offering an apology.