Liam Lawson Opens Up On VCARB Pressure Ahead Of Austin GP

Saajan Jogia | Oct 17, 2024

ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS - AUGUST 23: Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App RB looks on in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on August 23, 2024 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) /

VCARB's new F1 driver, Liam Lawson, who is set to replace Daniel Ricciardo at the upcoming United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), will face a ten-place grid penalty after the team opted to fit his VCARB01 with a new power unit in Austin. Lawson reckons that the challenging start is "not all green flags" since he has six races to prove his performance for a 2025 contract extension.

Formula 1 teams are allowed up to four power units per season before facing penalties for exceeding the limit. Many drivers have already been penalized this year, and now Lawson joins their ranks as he incurs a penalty ahead of his first race of the 2024 season.

Ricciardo had already reached the maximum allowed power unit components for the season, including four internal combustion engines (ICE), MGU-Ks, turbochargers (TC), MGU-Hs, as well as two control electronics (CE) and energy stores (ES). However, due to the driver swap, the penalty now applies to the car, meaning Lawson will bear the consequences for exceeding the component limits.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner had confirmed on the F1 Nation podcast that Lawson will be incurring a 10-place grid penalty at COTA. Referring to the punishment as “a bit of a soft landing” for the new driver, Horner said:

“In Austin, he’ll be taking an engine penalty anyway, so he’s got a bit of a soft landing or soft re-entry.

“But of course, he’s going to be gauged against his team-mate [Yuki Tsunoda].

“He was very quick against him last year, I think Yuki stepped it up a gear again this year, so it’s just going to be fascinating to see how quickly he adapts, how quickly he gets on with it.”

Lawson explained that as a driver, he wants to have the best possible opportunity to perform but the penalty has now made it difficult for him. Reacting to Horner's 'soft landing" claim, he said on the F1 Nation podcast:

“It is, but, at the same time, it’s the same thing with how much pressure you put on yourself as a driver.

“Everyone thinks about and has different perspectives on things but, for me, I want to have the best possible opportunity at performing.

“You could look at it like, yes, there’s less pressure, because I know that I’m starting off the back of the grid.

“But, at the same time, I think, as a driver, you want to have the best opportunity possible and I know that that’s going to hinder me for the race.

“So it’s not all green flags, let’s say that.”