The New Zealander will replace Hadjar again at Red Bull in Monza and explains that the biggest difficulty has been preparing for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls, since the cars have radically different behaviors despite sharing the engine.
Liam Lawson will have his second consecutive weekend at the wheel of the Red Bull at the Italian Grand Prix. The New Zealander, who replaced the injured Isack Hadjar at Zandvoort and achieved a meritorious seventh place, repeats in the Austrian team's seat at Monza, however the preparation for this round has not been easy. Lawson has had to deal with uncertainty until Wednesday, when it was confirmed that Hadjar would not be recovered for the Italian race.
"Wednesday, so during the last week it's been like waiting to see what happens. Obviously I'm trying to give Isack the best chance for his recovery" explained the driver in Thursday's press conference. Lawson admitted that the delay in confirmation complicated his preparation: "In the back of my mind I knew that obviously there was still a possibility but Wednesday was quite late, although we had enough time to do a simulator session and the normal preparation for the weekend."
The biggest challenge for the New Zealander has not only been the uncertainty, but having to prepare for two different scenarios. Lawson has had to work with the engineers of both teams, Red Bull and Racing Bulls, to be ready for any eventuality: "Honestly I prepared with both. I've been doing both things just to try to stay ready for both, obviously both teams, both cars to get to know" he revealed. The difference between the cars is substantial, which adds an extra layer of complexity to his task.
"They are very different to drive so it's not the easiest thing to go from one to the other, even just in the simulator, but that's been the biggest challenge, but it's good to finally have an answer from Wednesday, to know that I can basically put all my focus on this car" confessed Lawson. The comparison between the RB22 and the Racing Bulls car is inevitable: "Everywhere, apart from the power unit obviously they are very different to drive" stated the 24 year old driver.
Lawson detailed the technical differences he has perceived: "The main thing about the Red Bull, the high speed grip is probably the most impressive compared to my car, but the way they drive, the balance of the car is very, very different, without saying too much it's a very different car to drive. Honestly the information I get through the steering, everything, the way it feels, the way it moves, is very different" he explained.
Despite the difficulty of adaptation, Lawson faces the weekend with optimism. The New Zealander highlighted that the experience accumulated in Zandvoort, a sprint weekend, will be of great help for this race: "Zandvoort was, being a sprint weekend, obviously quite stressful at times but overall it was a good weekend and at least now that I've had that, it should be a bit easier to adjust, we also have three practice sessions here, it's a much more normal weekend so it's another good opportunity" he said.
Lawson's goal for Monza is clear: to make the most of the opportunity to drive the Red Bull, accumulate kilometers and continue proving his worth. The team's confidence in him is evident and this second weekend at the wheel of the RB22 is a golden opportunity to consolidate his position in the team. Adaptation will not be easy, but his talent and determination are his best allies.
