Lawson: We're all here in Formula 1 for one reason, to win

The 23-year-old steps into one of the most demanding seats in Formula 1. Red Bull offers drivers the chance to win races but has also seen Verstappen, a four-time world champion, dominate his teammates. Welcome to your greatest test Liam Lawson.

With the all-team F1 75 LIVE livery launch on Tuesday, pre-season testing looming, and the Australian Grand Prix kicking off the season on 16 March, Lawson is finally adjusting to the reality of being a full-time Red Bull Racing driver.

In the first official interview released by the team today with their drivers, reflecting on his promotion to Red Bull, Lawson admitted that the reality of his new position has only just begun to sink in: “I think today it's starting to feel a lot more real. It was the first time I had a confirmed seat going into a season break, so I had a lot more time to sit on it.

"And honestly, that felt weird, because normally I don't really have time to think about it, so it almost didn't feel real for a while. Then, basically, coming into today, we're in the simulator a lot more in the next few weeks, so now it's very real.”

The New Zealander outlined his ambitions in Formula 1 and acknowledged that there is still plenty to achieve before he can think about securing his long-term future with the team: “The goal in Formula One hasn't really changed. Obviously, we're all here to win.

"We're all here for that one reason. So coming into Formula One, the goal is to do a good job, to obviously move up to the main team. And I've been lucky enough to do that, so obviously I'm a step closer to that goal, but obviously still a lot to achieve before something like that happens.”

Lawson is preparing for what he believes will be the toughest season of his career so far, particularly as he tackles circuits he has never raced on before: “Especially going into a year like this, especially the start of the season, I'm going to a lot of tracks I haven't done before, new team. And I think big expectations. So it's very exciting. But I'm also expecting it to be the toughest year that I've come into.”

Despite the challenge, Lawson is eager to experience new circuits, singling out the opening round in Australia and Canada as two tracks he is particularly excited to race on: “I mean, I'm very excited for Melbourne, and I'm very excited for the start of the year. There are a lot of cool tracks that I haven't done that I think I'll enjoy, like Melbourne. It looks like a cool track.

"Canada is somewhere I've always wanted to drive. But I think the start of the year is going to be the hardest as well. Going to a bunch of tracks I haven't done before, starting the season, it's going to be very, very tough. I've only ever finished a season, so I've never really completed one. So I think the start of the year is going to be the hardest, but I would say I'm also most excited to go to these new tracks.”

Lawson's teammate Verstappen, has been with Red Bull for a decade and has won the last four F1 drivers' championships. He recognises the challenge ahead but views the opportunity to learn from the Dutchman as invaluable.

The New Zealander is under no illusions: “I think for sure, it's going to be extremely challenging, but at the same time, there's more opportunity than ever to have someone like him as a teammate, somebody who's been in this team for 10 years, and obviously he's just won the last four World Championships.

"There's nobody better to align everything that I'm doing with, because all of our data is going to be shared, and for me, that's a great opportunity to learn. There's nobody better to learn and improve off. So that's exciting. But obviously, at the same time, having somebody so quick and competitive is going to come with its challenges. So for me, it's just about making the most of that," explained Lawson.

Having served as a reserve driver for Red Bull for several years, Lawson already has some insight into the inner workings of the team. He highlighted the methodical approach and calmness within the organisation as key aspects of their success.

“I would say in my experience, I've been lucky enough to be a reserve for the team for quite a few years. My first years as Reserve were actually with more time spent with Red Bull than with AlphaTauri, so I got to see how the team operates. And it's, as you'd expect, very professional, but I think very calm, mostly," revealed Lawson.

"That is something that I've noticed the most compared to maybe other teams I've seen. It's just a very—everybody’s very calm and methodical and everything's basically working in harmony. It's quite cool to observe whether you're watching a pit stop being done.

"Whether you listen to communication during a session between the engineers, between Christian and the guys on the wall. It's really cool to witness that and see they're all very, very experienced. And obviously, the car is fast, and they build a fast race car.”

With just weeks to go before the 2025 Formula 1 season begins, Lawson is eager to prove himself in one of the most demanding seats on the grid: “I'm excited. A big opportunity, and yeah, obviously I'll do my absolute best behind the scenes, working as hard as possible to do everybody proud. So thank you for supporting me. Yeah, I'm just excited to get into it.”