Liam Lawson should not expect a smooth ride when he steps into the Visa RB in Austin. Red Bull team boss, Christian Horner, confirms that the New Zealander will indeed start his Formula 1 journey with a grid penalty. Lawson will replace Daniel Ricciardo for the first time during the American Grand Prix.
Lawson is receiving the grid penalty because his Visa RB vehicle has exceeded the number of engines allocated for the season. Each driver is allowed to use four different engines during the 2024 season, but Ricciardo’s successor is already exceeding this number in Austin.
Red Bull advisor, Helmut Marko, had previously warned that Lawson would “probably have to give up ten places in the sprint race”. Horner now confirms the upcoming penalty for the new Visa RB driver.
“In Austin, he will definitely get an engine penalty,” Horner reveals in the F1 Nation podcast. “So he has a bit of a soft landing, or soft return.” However, that doesn’t mean Lawson won’t have to work hard in Austin. “He will, of course, be measured against his teammate.”
Yuki Tsunoda
This is not the first time Lawson will face teammate Yuki Tsunoda. Last year, as Ricciardo’s replacement due to injury, the New Zealander had to prove himself against the Japanese driver for five races. “Last year he was very fast against him, I think Yuki has stepped up a gear this year, so it will be fascinating to see how quickly he adapts, how quickly he can move on,” says Horner.
