RB Doing Their Best To Prepare Lawson For F1 Amid 'Frustrating' Situation

Monday, 18 March 2024 at 00:14

RB team principal Laurent Mekies acknowledged Liam Lawson's frustrating situation but asserted his team is doing their best to prepare him for a possible future in F1.

Liam Lawson got his opportunity to shine during five Grand Prix races in 2023, and he showed he definitely deserved a seat in F1 when he scored his team's best result of the season, P9, in Singapore.

However, despite showing great potential, RB decided to choose experienced drivers over rookies for the current year, and so did every single team on the grid.

Consequently, Lawson has to stay another year as a reserve driver on the sidelines, hoping he will maybe get a chance next year. The team principal of RB, Laurent Mekies, said on the Beyond the Grid Podcast about Lawson:

"Liam did impress everyone last year. I was watching TV, during garden leave. And in Zandvoort it's raining, it's as bad as it gets and he made it."

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Zandvoort was one of the wildest races of the last season, with track conditions changing every minute. Lawson brought the car home safely after one of the most challenging races of the season and beat his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.

"I guess as fans, we love these racing drivers. You put them in the most awkward, difficult positions, and they need to perform at that very moment. Bam, they do it, and that's what he did."

"We have very talented reserve drivers, we are taking every opportunity to put him in the car. He drove in Imola last month with the 2022 car. He is going to be with us pretty much every weekend and is driving for us in the simulators. We are trying to grow him as much as we can."

More than half of the drivers have their contracts expiring at the end of this season, so if there is ever an opportunity for Lawson to get a seat in F1, it should be for the next season. Mekies added:

"We are conscious that it's frustrating for a driver not to race. But again, we are trying to be the best platform for him and then we will see if the opportunity comes."