Liam Lawson Steps Into Ricciardo’s Shoes: The Inside Story of F1’s Latest Driver Swap

In his inaugural interview since securing his Formula 1 seat, Liam Lawson shares insight into taking over Daniel Ricciardo's position, describing the experience as 'less than pleasant'.

Liam Lawson disclosed that he had been aware of his upcoming role as Daniel Ricciardo's replacement on the RB F1 team for approximately "two weeks".

Speculation had been rife that Ricciardo would lose his seat following the Singapore Grand Prix, yet it wasn't until Thursday that RB made it official, stating Lawson would replace him for the last six events of the 2024 campaign.

In his initial interview with Newstalk ZB following the confirmation of his F1 comeback, the 22-year-old mentioned he had two weeks to get ready.

"Clearly, I've been aware of it for roughly the past two weeks," stated Lawson.

"However, until it becomes publicly known, it doesn't quite seem real, and it's not as if I could share it with anyone."

Lawson mentioned, "This has been the strategy for quite some time, it was essentially heading in this direction."

"Clearly, there was a contractual deadline I was required to meet."

"Essentially, the situation was always heading in this direction, and then a few weeks back, they informed me that this outcome was inevitable. Shortly thereafter, it became a certainty."

Inquired about his emotions upon being in the RB garage in Singapore, aware that he would be replacing Ricciardo, the individual from New Zealand responded, “Honestly, not great.

My weekend in Singapore was far from pleasant, mainly because the outcome was somewhat expected. Moreover, Daniel has consistently shown me a great deal of kindness in various aspects.

"During my drives last season and also this year, I never sensed any rivalry with him or anything along those lines; he never gave off that vibe. Thus, it didn't feel good at all."

"Clearly, for me, this is my single chance at F1 and it's arrived, for which I'm truly thankful. However, it's crucial that I seize it fully."

Lawson disclosed that Ricciardo responded to his impending dismissal with great grace.

"He conveyed the same message to me, emphasizing the importance of seizing the opportunity. He truly excelled over the weekend," he noted.

"Truly, my admiration for his handling of the situation is immense, as I can't quite grasp what that experience must have been like."

"The situation is quite alike to the one I experienced the previous year. However, the difference is that this individual is significantly more well-known and in the public eye compared to me. As a result, he's facing a barrage of inquiries and is doing his best to navigate them. He managed to handle it exceptionally well."

During the summer, Lawson had the opportunity to drive a 2022 AlphaTauri at the Monza circuit as part of an F1 testing session.

At that moment, the event sparked rumors suggesting that Red Bull was getting Lawson ready to step in due to doubts surrounding Sergio Perez’s career prospects.

Lawson stated that his Formula 1 driving position was not guaranteed, regardless of the outcomes of the tests.

"He described the period as a series of assessment days, intentionally structured to exert a great deal of stress on him."

"This event was designed to put me right back into the action, similar to what happened last year, mid-season."

"They required assurance of my performance to some extent. Those days were clearly for assessment."

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