After an uncertain year for the Red Bull family, Visa Cash App RB has made a decision on their driver line-up after the Singapore Grand Prix. Liam Lawson will replace Daniel Ricciardo for the rest of the season alongside Yuki Tsunoda after spending a year on the sidelines.  

Liam Lawson in his F1 debut at Zandvoort 2023. (Photo via formula1.com)

Liam Lawson exceeded all expectations when he was thrown in the car at Zandvoort last year in place of the injured Daniel Ricciardo. With only one session of practice and a perpetual downpour at the circuit, he had the odds stacked against him. He managed to keep it on track and ultimately finished ahead of his teammate in 13th. Two races later, the Kiwi scored his maiden F1 points in Singapore. While he only took part in five races, Lawson cemented his position in the F1 paddock, but AlphaTauri decided to re-sign Ricciardo instead. 

Before his standout performances in F1, Liam Lawson simultaneously made his mark in Formula and GT racing. In 2021, Lawson was a rookie in Formula 2 and DTM at the same time. He started the season by winning his first race in both championships. The Kiwi displayed rapid pace in F2, but bad luck and an ultra competitive field meant that he finished the season in 9th.

Lawson’s 2021 F2 weekend in Jeddah (Photo via liamlawson.co.nz)

While fighting for points and podiums in F2, Lawson was also fighting for the DTM title. The then 19-year-old became the youngest ever DTM winner in his first race and was on the podium an impressive 10 times. If it wasn’t for an unfortunate race, he could’ve won the championship as well. Countless podiums and outstanding overtakes throughout the year proved that he was a driver to watch out for in the coming years. 

In 2022, he continued to compete in Formula 2. Lawson finished the championship in third place after a handful of podiums and a points finish every weekend. Just one point behind him in the standings was his teammate and former Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant.

Liam Lawson as the VCARB reserve driver at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix (Photo via Sports Illustrated)

The 22-year-old will hop into the RB car for the last six races of the 2024 season. The team is honoring their promise to give him another chance at RB, but he has yet to be confirmed at the team beyond this season. Daniel Ricciardo, who has raced for the team for the majority of the year, will not get to finish what will most likely be his final year in Formula 1. 

Lawson will rejoin the grid next month at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.