Formula 1 is a tough sport to break into. There are only 20 drivers in the world who make it onto the “grid” each year.
With 2-3 of those being sons of billionaires who have paid their way in, and with some drivers staying in the sport for over 20 years, even winning junior championships, like Formula 2, doesn’t guarantee you a place the top flight. In fact, most aspiring racers invest hundreds of thousands of dollars and spend most of their teens away from home, only to miss out on their dream to race in Formula 1.
Why all this backstory? Well, I’ve been following the junior career of Liam Lawson for the past 2 years. He’s a Kiwi, and is currently New Zealand’s best shot at having one of our own on the Formula 1 grid.
He has done everything right through the junior categories; a blend of consistency, good results, and luck. And until recently he was the reserve driver for Red Bull racing, available to race if one of their drivers was unable to.
Last month Australian driver, Daniel Ricciardo, broke his hand in a crash during practice, and Lawson got his call up. Lawson has now completed two races in Formula 1, and held his own with a respectable 13th and 11th place finishes.
With few expectations on him to perform, success was (1) not making fatal mistakes, (2) being more-or-less on the pace compared with other drivers. And he’s done both of those things.
There is a good chance that via his stint as an injury replacement, he’s made a great case for a permanent seat in 2024.
With the odds of making it to Formula 1 being so slim, I’m thrilled with how Lawson has performed, and I’ve got my fingers and toes crossed that we get Kiwi on the grid next year.