From Rookie to Contender: Lawson’s Defining F1 Moment

Liam Lawson reflects on the pivotal moment at Zandvoort 2023 when he first proved his readiness for Formula 1.

As they advance through junior formulas, drivers experience a moment when they realize they have what it takes to race in F1. For Liam Lawson, who has competed in 11 Grands Prix and will race alongside Max Verstappen this year, that moment came during his first weekend at the top, in Zandvoort in 2023.

“I think for me, it happened at Zandvoort when I drove for the first time and took part in a Grand Prix,” Lawson recalls. “I’d say it was right away in the race, when you’re battling with the cars. It’s something you know mentally as a driver.”

“We do all the preparation and everything like that before a session, but the second the lights go out, you drop into a mindset where it’s the same whether you’re competing in Formula 1 or racing karts in New Zealand.”

“It’s the same mindset you have when you’re racing. I’d say that hasn’t changed since I was a kid; I’ve always believed I was capable of becoming a Formula 1 driver.”

Lawson has confidence in his craft, and he doesn’t see that confidence as a given but rather as something innate: “I think it’s something you’re either born with or not. I mean, I’m lucky to have been born with it, and I’ve always had that conviction.”

“I think, whether you’re fighting in the midfield or at the front, to be completely honest, it doesn’t make a difference… the performance we, as drivers, aim to deliver over a race weekend is simply the best performance we can achieve.”

“During a qualifying session, it’s about delivering the best possible lap you can. Whether you’re in a top team or a midfield team, you can only position your car so far up the grid.”

“But as long as you finish that lap and feel you’ve done the best job possible by the end of the weekend, then the result will be what it will be. Take Qatar, for instance—I feel that in qualifying, and especially during the Sprint qualifying, it was the best job I could have done.”

“Then, we look at a session in Brazil where it’s raining, and suddenly we’re in the top five, and things like that change. So I think in a top car, the approach remains the same. You aim to do and execute the best job possible. The only thing that changes is the position you achieve.”