Liam Lawson

Liam Lawson was born on February 11, 2002, in Hastings, New Zealand. He began karting at the age of seven and quickly became one of New Zealand's most promising young talents, winning multiple national karting championships. In 2016, he made the move to single-seater racing in the Australian-based Toyota Racing Series, winning the title in 2019.

Lawson joined the Red Bull Junior Team in 2019 and moved to European single-seater racing, competing in the Euroformula Open Championship where he showed strong pace. In 2020, he stepped up to FIA Formula 3 with Hitech Grand Prix, and then to Formula 2 in 2021, also with Hitech. His F2 career showed steady improvement, and he also competed in DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) where he won races against far more experienced tin-top racers.

In 2022, Lawson also competed in Super Formula in Japan alongside his F2 commitments, broadening his experience across different racing disciplines. His adaptability across series and car types caught Red Bull's attention and demonstrated his versatility as a racing driver.

Lawson's big F1 break came in 2023 when Daniel Ricciardo suffered a broken wrist at the Dutch Grand Prix. Lawson was drafted in as his replacement at AlphaTauri and seized the opportunity with both hands. In just five races, he scored points at the Singapore Grand Prix — finishing ninth on a demanding street circuit — and impressed with his composure, aggression, and ability to race wheel-to-wheel against far more experienced drivers.

He was given the RB seat full-time for the latter part of 2024, replacing Ricciardo permanently. His performances continued to impress, with strong qualifying pace and fearless racing earning him a promotion to Red Bull Racing alongside Max Verstappen for 2025 and beyond. Stepping into the seat previously occupied by Sergio Pérez, Lawson represents Red Bull's faith in their junior programme and their belief that he can be a strong partner to Verstappen.

Known for his fearless wheel-to-wheel racing, maturity beyond his years, and quiet determination, Lawson is the latest in a proud line of New Zealand racing drivers.