F1 News: RB driver admits FRUSTRATION building over current role

Ricciardo, Tsunoda, Lawson, social — Photo: © IMAGO

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RB driver admits FRUSTRATION building over current role

The New Zealander is eyeing a return to the F1 grid

Tyler Rowlinson

Friday 3 May 2024 22:12

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Liam Lawson has shared his thoughts on his reserve driver role at Red Bull for the 2024 season.

The New Zealander got his first taste of F1 action last season at AlphaTauri, replacing the injured Daniel Ricciardo, who had been brought in to replace Nyck de Vries.

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In his five races behind the wheel, Lawson put in some impressive performances, including at Singapore, where he beat Max Verstappen to get into Q3 and scored his first points in the sport by finishing ninth.

However, despite these displays, Ricciardo returned to his seat for Texas onwards, leaving Lawson to go back to his Super Formula campaign, where he ended the season in second.

Liam Lawson impressed at AlphaTauri last season

The Faenza team retained Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda

Lawson admits frustrations with RB role

For 2024, Red Bull’s second team, now rebranded to Visa Cash App RB, opted to retain Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, with Lawson acting as both Red Bull and RB’s reserve driver.

And speaking on the Mind Set Win podcast, Lawson explained how it has been in his role in the F1 paddock.

“At times, it’s very frustrating,” he said.

Ricciardo is under pressure to stay with the team

“While it’s not enjoyable at certain times, it’s something, knowing the opportunity that I have, especially being from New Zealand, how rare and hard it is to be on the edge of Formula One.”

While he has admitted being discontent with watching from the sidelines, Lawson’s hopes of returning to an F1 seat may not be over as Ricciardo has struggled to perform at RB thus far this season.

The 34-year-old Aussie has been outperformed by team-mate Tsunoda and is looking to fight to stay on the grid, with his contract being up at the end of the year.