Days after scoring his maiden world championship points, Liam Lawson admits that he doesn't want to return to a reserve driver role.

The New Zealander was given a baptism of fire when he was brought in on the second day of the Zandvoort weekend after Daniel Ricciardo crashed in Friday practice badly injuring his hand.

Finishing 13th on his debut, the youngster was just outside the points at Monza before bringing the AlphaTauri home in ninth last weekend, having enjoyed an entertaining scrap with Max Verstappen along the way.

While it remains unclear when Ricciardo will be fit for duty again, looking further ahead, having 'got the taste', Lawson admits that he is in no rush to return to the reserves bench.

"I wouldn't be happy to go back to being reserve," he told reporters at Suzuka, "but obviously, I know how hard it is to get into Formula 1.

"I understand that that can be really difficult sometimes," he added. "So obviously, what will happen, will happen, but these things I just haven't really thought about too much. I'm just trying to make the most of this."

The Faenza-based outfit is widely expected to announce its retaining of Yuki Tsunoda this weekend, while Ricciardo is expected to return for the Qatar race.

In terms of berths for 2024, the most likely vacancy would be at Williams, where Logan Sargeant has largely failed to impress.

"To be honest, there hasn't been a huge amount of time to discuss the future," said Lawson. "On what's happened so far, it's been pretty positive, But I guess the message for me has just been to keep my head down and try and keep delivering until obviously things clear up, until this opportunity I have ends when Daniel comes back. So, it's basically just doing a good job but keep doing the same thing.

"Obviously, I want to be in Formula 1. Now I have this chance, I'm trying to do everything I can to show that I can be here. But in terms of all those discussions, those will happen after this weekend."

On the while, the kiwi is pleased with his performance thus far, but insists that there is more to come.

"There's more with more time in the car, but for the nature of the situation, for how I've come into it, I think we've done well," he said. "I'm racing guys who have done 11 or 12 races this season already, so we're definitely playing catch up.

"Every week, I get more comfortable with the car, so hopefully I go into this weekend feeling another step more comfortable. Compared to any other car I've driven it takes a lot more time to adjust to Formula 1."

One advantage that Lawson enjoys this weekend is his experience of the Suzuka track courtesy of the Super Formula series, which has seen him race and test at the iconic circuit on many occasions.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by flyinglap, 21/09/2023 19:36

"Firstly, Tsunoda has performed well so far in this season, therefore he would deserve indeed to be retained for next year. Personally, I would have kicked him out since his very first season because of his overall attitude, bad language and immaturity, and regardless of his presumed speed. Nevertheless, Red Bull (i.e. Dr Marko) persisted (doubtlessly with a "helping hand" and/or a convincing word from Honda) and managed to make a decent driver out of him. Incidentally, the way Sky Sports F1 is ignoring Tsunoda this year is almost ignoble. Besides that, Liam Lawson appears to me as having a Senna quality and an aura about him, he is destined for great things. Red Bull already know that. I would like to remind that when Lawson raced in DTM with the Red Bull Ferrari GT3 alongside Albon, he was faster than Albon (himself a virtual grand prix winner at Red Bull, were it not for Lewis Hamilton throwing him out of the track on two occasions if I well remember), and he would have won the championship were it not for the concerted and irregular efforts of the German teams to take him out in the last race (Alessandro Nannini and Alfa Romeo 155 vs Mercedes DTM Singen 1994 all over again, sort of). I do not expect Daniel Ricciardo to be anything more than a reserve driver for Red Bull in 2024 (wishing him well and assuming that he will be back in his car for the last part of this season just because it will be the honorable thing to do). Liam Lawson is the future, possibly even at Red Bull alongside Max."

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2. Posted by Bill Hopgood, 21/09/2023 19:35

"This weekend is one of the few GP that actually hits the New Zealand time zone, at a time most people that have Sky can watch so Lawson will should at least have a good live following.
In regard to will he or won't Lawson be in F1 next year, well, I'm just enjoying the moment and we'll see what happens next year.
Red Bull certainly have a nice problem (too many drivers) on their hands and may have links to one farmed out to Williams.
Wouldn't it be nice for say another team say from, I don't know, the USA to enter F1 and create another couple of seats one day?
"

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3. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 21/09/2023 15:29

"I would let Lawson remain as the driver and possibly let Ricciardo go if Lawson can remain a points driver. He must cost them less than Ricciardo."

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Lawson doesn't want reserve role return

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