Liam Lawson to ride Red Bull in Abu Dhabi
Red Bull will field Liam Lawson in Free Practice 1 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The New Zealander, who drives for Carlin in Formula 2, will take part in his third Formula 1 test session in 2022. He had already driven in free practice for AlphaTauri at the Belgian Grand Prix and the Mexican Grand Prix.
Liam Lawson, the reserve driver for AlphaTauri and Red Bull, will once again be behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car for the free practice sessions of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Austrian team will therefore field a rookie driver for the second time this season as per the regulations. The young New Zealander will be the second non-regular driver to take the wheel of the RB18 this season.
An uncertain arrival in Formula 1.
Juri Vips had driven the Austrian single-seater during Free Practice 1 of the Spanish Grand Prix. However, following the recent scandal that hit the Estonian driver, Liam Lawson has been promoted as a reserve driver for AlphaTauri and Red Bull. Although his path to Formula 1 is currently uncertain, he has the opportunity to secure the 3rd place in the Formula 2 championship and thus obtain his super license, which would allow him to compete in the premier category. Liam Lawson currently occupies the 7th position in the Formula 2 championship, but he is only a few steps away from the podium.
The Super License, an essential for Formula 1.
The Super License is the precious key that allows access to Formula 1. It is essential to take your first laps during a Grand Prix. There are many talented drivers, but the slots that award points for this Super License are highly coveted. Colton Herta, who competes in Indycar, was AlphaTauri’s first choice to partner with Yuki Tsunoda for 2023. Unfortunately, the American championship did not give him enough points to obtain his Super License, and the Italian team had to abandon their wish to hire him.
Liam Lawson will drive in Max Verstappen’s car for the first free practice session in Abu Dhabi.
