Lawson: We’ve got to get straight to work

Red Bull, after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, announced that Lawson would replace the underperforming Daniel Ricciardo starting from the upcoming US Grand Prix in Austin.

Lawson reflected on the decision while speaking to Newstalk ZB radio station in New Zealand; he said: "Now it finally does sort of feel real.

"Obviously I knew about it for the last sort of… the last, probably, two weeks. But until it’s out there to the world, it obviously doesn’t ever really feel set in stone, and I couldn’t tell anybody.

Lawson confirmed reports that there was a deadline in his contract with Red Bull before which he should be given an F1 drive or he would be free to pursue other opportunities.

He said: "I had a contract date that needed to be sort of fulfilled. Basically, it was going towards this way, and then, a couple of weeks ago, they told me this was what was going to happen.

"Not long after that, it was basically set in stone," he added.

The 22-year-old Kiwi revealed that he did "not really" celebrate his new F1 seat, he continued: "Obviously I’m very happy, but it’s six rounds left in the season, so I’m coming in at a difficult time.

"It’s going to be a very challenging point. All these [drivers] have done three quarters of a season now, so I have to try and compete with that – at tracks that I haven’t done as well.

"It’s going to be challenging. I’ve spoken to my parents, obviously, and spoken to everybody that’s been behind me on this journey. It’s very, very special, but we don’t have much time to really let it sink in – we’ve got to get straight to work.

"It’s funny, because when I found out and I got to call everybody, the first sort of words or the first things they said, all of them including my dad, my mom and everybody, all the sponsors behind me from day one, I could hear the relief in their voice before anything.

"It wasn’t excitement, it was just pure relief, which is also how I felt to be honest, because it’s been, obviously, a huge journey and a lot of people have put a lot into this, so it was very exciting," Lawson concluded.