Liam Lawson Handed Ten-Place Grid Penalty Before His First 2024 Race At Austin

Saajan Jogia | Sep 27, 2024

Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App RB looks on in the garage during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 20, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) / Red Bull Content Pool

VCARB driver Liam Lawson, who replaces the outgoing driver Daniel Ricciardo from the upcoming United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), has been handed a ten-place grid penalty for the sprint race for using a new power unit on his VCARB01 F1 car.

As a result, he will begin the race in Austin ten positions lower than his qualifying spot for the sprint race. While this challenge may be daunting, especially since it marks his first race of the season, it also presents an opportunity for him to showcase his racing skills and demonstrate how many positions he can gain during the 19-lap race.

The grid penalty has been confirmed by Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko, who is said to have played an important role in promoting the New Zealander from Red Bull's reserve driver ranks to a full-time driver in its junior team. Speaking to Motorsport-Total.com, as reported by Autosport.com, the 81-year-old advisor said:

"The first [race], I think, won't be relevant because he has an engine penalty. Ten places in the sprint race, so that doesn't exactly make life easier in Austin."

As VCARB seeks to uphold its position ahead of Haas in the Constructors' Championship, especially given Haas's strong performance this season and the slim three-point lead VCARB holds, Lawson faces a significant challenge in the final six races of the 2024 season. The team's strategy focuses on finishing the current season on a high note as it prepares for the 2025 season.

Fortunately for Lawson, he showcased his skills last year while serving as the reserve driver for Ricciardo, who sustained a wrist injury during FP2 of the Dutch GP. This five-race stint significantly bolstered Lawson's prospects for a future F1 seat.

However, with his current contract expiring at the end of the 2024 season, Lawson must stay sharp in every race to secure a contract extension for the 2025 season. The 22-year-old driver expressed his excitement at finally landing a full-time racing seat after nearly a year on the sidelines. Speaking in a self-recorded video on X, Lawson said:

"Very excited to say that I'll be driving in the car from Austin. It's obviously a massive opportunity, a dream come true for me so, I want to say thank you to the team for this opportunity. I want to say thank you to you guys [the fans] for the support as well. It's a lot of work ahead, but I'm looking forward to getting into it and I'll see you guys in Austin."

A message from @LiamLawson30 👇#F1 #VCARB pic.twitter.com/wLwAdkaMQk

— Visa Cash App RB F1 Team (@visacashapprb) September 26, 2024