No one understands better than Liam Lawson how quickly fortunes can shift in the high-stakes world of Formula One.
Just last week, the New Zealander was unexpectedly relegated to Racing Bulls after struggling in his first two races with the top-tier Red Bull team in Australia and China.
Lawson started the season with a disappointing 18th-place qualifying position at the Australian Grand Prix before crashing out of the race. In China, he qualified at the back for both the sprint and main events, finishing 14th and 12th, respectively.
Meanwhile, Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda, who missed out on a promotion when Lawson was called up, will now take his place in a driver swap.
Ahead of this Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, Lawson was asked at a media conference if he believed there was any chance of being promoted back to the top team.
“Yeah, I guess that’s part of the conversation,” he said. “In a way, that’s great, but I was already there.”
His tone suggested another promotion didn’t seem likely. Tsunoda is also under pressure and must perform alongside four-time defending champion Max Verstappen.
“Whatever happens down the line is more or less out of my control,” Lawson added. “What I can control is the driving stuff – and proving that. As for where the future is at this point, I don’t think about it too much.”
Lawson attributes part of his struggles in the first two races to unfamiliar circuits. He was hoping to show off at Suzuka, where he raced in Formula One in 2023.
“I was more surprised” about the sudden demotion, he said. “It’s very early in the season, and I would say I was hoping to go to a track that I’d raced before and have a chance.”
Ironically, that advantage falls to Tsunoda, who’s in his fifth season in Formula One and knows the Suzuka track in central Japan as well as any driver.
“For Yuki, obviously, it’s a great opportunity and on a track that he’s done a lot,” Lawson said. “He’ll, I’m sure, probably be more comfortable.”
Interestingly, Formula One made both drivers available at Thursday’s press conferences, but not in the same one. Tsunoda appeared after Lawson spoke in the first 30-minute session.
Lawson said he learned of his demotion last Monday or Tuesday, just after the Chinese Grand Prix. He said he took a call and was told what was happening.
“It was more of a done deal,” he said.
Lawson said he expected quick familiarity with the Racing Bulls team and setup. He had 11 F1 races under his belt coming into this season and added two more this season.
“I won’t fully know until I drive,” Lawson said. “I feel confident. I don’t think too much has changed from last year.”