Red Bull Junior Team member Liam Lawson is a quick learner! Born in Pukekohe, Auckland, the New Zealander has set a special record, that of winning at least one race as a rookie in all the categories in which he has raced.

He started racing karts at the age of 7 and as a 13 year old, he got behind the wheel of a Formula First single-seater and immediately showed what he is made of. In his very first season in an open-wheeler he took one win, one pole and ten podium finishes to finish second in the championship. In 2016, he did even better, becoming the youngest ever Formula Ford champion, doing so in fine style. He started all 15 races from pole and set the fastest lap on every occasion, with 14 wins and a second place to his name. In 2017, it was time to make the move from New Zealand to Europe where he continued on his winning ways, finishing runner-up in the ADAC Formula 4 series in his debut season.

He joined the Red Bull Junior Driver Programme at the age of 17, moved to England and took part in the EFO (Formula 3 series) and the new FIA Formula 3 championship. Then, in 2021, he tackled two very different types of racing: Formula 2 and DTM, coming very close to taking the title in the latter.

Lawson first tried a Formula 1 car in December 2021, taking part in the Abu Dhabi Rookie Test at the Yas Marina Circuit, getting into the cockpit of our AT02. In 2022, Liam drove for us in free practice at the Belgian and Mexican GPs and with Red Bull Racing in Abu Dhabi. In 2023, he is our official Reserve Driver, having raced for the team in five consecutive Grands Prix this season, from the Dutch to the Qatar GP, replacing Daniel Ricciardo after his crash during Free Practice 2 in Zandvoort.