Liam Lawson Massively Credits Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo for Sensational F1 Debut

Don’t get us wrong, but entering Formula 1 is just like being thrown into the deep end where you need to swim with the sharks. If you don’t start swimming instantly, there is always someone ready to take your place. However, after being pushed into deep waters with no heads up, Liam Lawson swam and how.

He scored his first points in his third race, beat his teammate in four out of the five races he participated in, and made an exceptional impression. The New Zealander took this one-in-a-lifetime opportunity with both hands and definitely proved his racing mettle whilst making himself a genuine contender for a seat. Does he have anyone to thank for it? Yes, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo! 

After he sadly went back to the sidelines, Lawson made his appearance on the F1: Beyond the Grid podcast to share his experience. The New Zealander talked about his experience and credited Verstappen and Ricciardo from the Red Bull family for his sensational debut in the sport. When asked if he got any advice from the two during his time on the track, Lawson revealed the help he received from both. 

Lawson said, “Daniel was very helpful in Zandvoort before he went away for his surgery. He was still at the track on Friday night and I spent with him. He was obviously very very nice about it. Also, Max, I would say, especially in Monza. Max basically said try and enjoy it, not to overthink it just basically be as relaxed as you can be. To be fair, he’s always been really good to me.” 

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Just simple words of advice from the three-time world champion and the guy he was replacing. We wouldn’t expect anything else or less. Thanks to this opportunity though, Lawson has become a hot property. In fact, some believe he is faster than the veteran driver he replaced for the five races. 

Peter Windsor believes Liam Lawson is faster than Daniel Ricciardo 

Liam Lawson received a heartbreaking update about his future whilst he was still filling in for Daniel Ricciardo. Red Bull announced Ricciardo will driver for AlphaTauri in 2024, snubbing the incredible debut from Lawson.

However. the five races where Lawson even scored points put him on the F1 map. His incredible performances earned him a lot of F1 street cred and a definite shot for a seat in the future. Speaking about his performances, Peter Windsor even claimed he believes the rookie is faster than Ricciardo.   

He said, “Right now, to me, Liam Lawson is doing at least as good a job as Daniel Ricciardo in that AlphaTauri. I’m not sure Daniel would’ve bumped Max into P11 at the end of Q2, whereas Liam did. In my opinion, right now, Liam Lawson is probably a quicker driver than Daniel Ricciardo.”

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Not many would agree with this claim until we see it head-to-head. However, Ricciardo and Lawson going head-to-head seems like a rare occurrence. We definitely hope to see Lawson in the sport sooner rather than later.