Formula 1 · Red Bull

Liam Lawson

Two seasons spent standing in for other people's injuries, a Red Bull seat lost after two races, and a 2026 in which he has scored more than in the rest of his career combined. The official Liam Lawson collection: AlphaTauri, Racing Bulls, and the No. 30.

Nationality
New Zealander
Born
11 February 2002 · Hastings, New Zealand
Teams
AlphaTauri · RB · Racing Bulls · Red Bull
Car number
30
Best finish
5th (Azerbaijan 2025)
Best grid
3rd, once
Shop the Collection Watch highlights
Graphic illustration of Formula 1 driver Liam Lawson wearing his Oracle Red Bull Racing suit, featuring his Visa Cash App RB race car
Formula 1 · Red Bull
2023 — Present
47
Grand Prix Entries
93
Career Points
5th
Best Race Finish
30
Car Number

Who is Liam Lawson?

Liam Lawson (born 11 February 2002) is a New Zealand Formula One driver who has raced for AlphaTauri, RB, Racing Bulls and Red Bull since 2023. He has 93 points from 47 Grand Prix entries and a best finish of fifth at Azerbaijan in 2025. He is ninth in the 2026 championship, his strongest season.

Full name
Liam Lawson
Nationality
New Zealander
F1 career
2023–present
Best known for
Standing in at short notice, and the 2025 Red Bull swap

By Kozmozracing Editorial Published Updated 4 sources

Rider Profile

Liam Lawson: Full Biography

Liam Lawson is a New Zealand racing driver who has competed in Formula One since 2023 for AlphaTauri, RB, Racing Bulls and Red Bull. He has 93 points from 47 Grand Prix entries.

Stand-In His Formula One career began as cover. Daniel Ricciardo broke his hand in practice at Zandvoort in 2023 and Lawson was put in the car at a few hours’ notice, driving five races and scoring points at Singapore. He returned in 2024 for the last six rounds when Ricciardo was dropped, and scored again.

Demotion Red Bull promoted him to the senior team for 2025 and removed him after two rounds, swapping him with Yuki Tsunoda. He went back to Racing Bulls, and the rest of the season was steadier than the start: fifth at Baku from third on the grid, his best result, and fourteenth in the championship.

Red Bull The 2026 season has been the making of him. Twelve rounds have brought 49 points and ninth in the standings, more than he scored in his first three seasons together. When Isack Hadjar injured his wrist over the summer break, Red Bull moved him back up to the senior team.

The Career

Three Chapters That Defined Liam Lawson

Chapter 01

Stand-In

He did not earn his Formula One debut so much as inherit it. Daniel Ricciardo broke his hand in final practice at Zandvoort in 2023 and Lawson, the reserve, was in the car for qualifying. He drove five races that season and finished ninth at Singapore, which was worth two points and a great deal more than that in reputation. Ricciardo returned, Lawson went back to the sidelines, and then came back for the last six rounds of 2024 when the seat opened again. Eleven races across two years, and no contract of his own at the end of either.

Liam Lawson in the white and blue Racing Bulls car, number 30, on track at Suzuka. Racing Bulls at the Japanese Grand Prix · 2025 Photo: Liam Lawson in the white and blue Racing Bulls car by Liauzh — CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized. · licence
Chapter 02

Demotion

Red Bull gave him the second seat alongside Max Verstappen for 2025 and took it away after two races, swapping him with Yuki Tsunoda so that his Racing Bulls return came at Suzuka. Being dropped that publicly, that quickly, would finish some careers. The rest of the season was the argument against it: a run of points finishes, and at Baku a third place on the grid converted into fifth, which remains the best result of his career. He ended the year fourteenth on 38 points, ahead of the driver who had replaced him.

Liam Lawson in the Racing Bulls car on track at the Italian Grand Prix. Racing Bulls at Monza · 2025 Photo: Liam Lawson in the Racing Bulls car on track at the Italian Grand Prix by Eustace Bagge — CC BY 4.0. Resized. · licence
Chapter 03

Red Bull

The 2026 season has answered the question the previous three left open. Twelve rounds have produced 49 points and ninth in the championship, more than his 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons combined, with nine top-ten finishes and a best of sixth. When Isack Hadjar injured his wrist during the summer break, Red Bull moved Lawson back into the senior car for the Dutch Grand Prix and brought Tsunoda in to fill the Racing Bulls seat he vacated, the same swap as 2025 run in reverse.

Liam Lawson talking on stage with a Racing Bulls teammate at a fan zone event in team gear. With Arvid Lindblad at the Red Bull Fan Zone, Melbourne · 2026 Photo: Liam Lawson talking on stage with a Racing Bulls teammate by Yu Chu Chin — CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized. · licence
Career Timeline

Liam Lawson Career Timeline: 2002–Present

Born in Hastings

Liam Lawson is born on 11 February in Hastings, New Zealand.

Formula One Debut

Replaces the injured Daniel Ricciardo at the Dutch Grand Prix.

First Points

Ninth at Singapore in his third Formula One start.

Recall

Drives the last six rounds of the season for RB.

Red Bull

Promoted to the senior team alongside Max Verstappen.

Swapped

Moved back to Racing Bulls after two rounds, exchanged with Yuki Tsunoda.

Baku

Qualifies third and finishes fifth, his best Formula One result.

Best Season

Ninth in the championship on 49 points after twelve rounds.

Recalled

Returns to Red Bull to cover Isack Hadjar's wrist injury.

By the Numbers

Liam Lawson Formula One Record, Season by Season

Liam Lawson season-by-season record: team, wins, poles, podiums, points and final standing.
SeasonTeam Wins Poles Podiums Points Pos.
2023 AlphaTauri · Honda RBPT 0 0 0 2 20
2024 RB · Honda RBPT 0 0 0 4 21
2025 Red Bull / Racing Bulls · Honda RBPT 0 0 0 38 14
2026 Racing Bulls / Red Bull · Red Bull Ford 0 0 0 49 9

Career totals: no wins, no podiums, no pole positions and 93 points from 47 Grand Prix entries, which is what this table sums to and which matches his official Formula 1 profile exactly. His best race finish is fifth, at Azerbaijan in 2025, and his best grid position is third, taken once. The 2023 and 2024 rows are part-seasons: five races standing in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo and six after Ricciardo was dropped. The 2025 and 2026 rows each cover two teams, because he was moved between Red Bull and the junior team in both years, in opposite directions. The 2026 season is in progress and the figures are after twelve rounds. Figures verified 27 August 2026.

Liam Lawson in his own words

In His Own Words
I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to win.
Liam Lawson · on his approach to Formula 1

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Frequently Asked

Liam Lawson: Frequently Asked Questions

How did Liam Lawson get into Formula One?

As a replacement. Daniel Ricciardo broke his hand in practice at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix and Lawson, the reserve driver, took over the car that weekend. He drove five races that season.

What is Liam Lawson's best result?

Fifth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2025, from third on the grid. Third is also his best qualifying position, achieved once.

Why was Liam Lawson dropped by Red Bull in 2025?

Red Bull promoted him alongside Max Verstappen for 2025 and replaced him after two rounds, swapping him with Yuki Tsunoda. He returned to the junior team from the Japanese Grand Prix.

Has Liam Lawson been on a podium?

Not yet. He has 93 points from 47 Grand Prix entries, with no wins, podiums or pole positions.

Why is Liam Lawson at Red Bull in 2026?

Isack Hadjar injured his wrist during the summer break, so Red Bull moved Lawson up from Racing Bulls to cover, and Yuki Tsunoda took the Racing Bulls seat that Lawson left.

How is Liam Lawson doing in 2026?

It is his best season. After twelve rounds he is ninth in the championship on 49 points, more than his first three seasons combined, with nine top-ten finishes.

What number does Liam Lawson race with?

Thirty.

Where is Liam Lawson from?

Hastings, in New Zealand. He is the latest in a line of New Zealanders to reach Formula One.

Shop His Gear

Liam Lawson Collection

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References

Sources & Further Reading

Every statistic on this page is drawn from the following records.

  1. Liam Lawson — F1 driver profile · Formula 1 (official), career totals and the pull quote
  2. Liam Lawson · Wikipedia, season-by-season results
  3. 'I've been dying to be in the car' — Tsunoda details the last-minute call · Formula 1 (official), the 2026 Hadjar injury and the Red Bull recall
  4. Liam Lawson (Q59180330) · Wikidata entity record

How this page is made

Rider profiles are compiled from official series records and cross-checked against independent statistical databases before publication.

Commercial disclosure. This page links to merchandise sold by Kozmozracing. Products are fan-made tributes inspired by motorsport history and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed from the rider, their estate, or any team.

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