Liam Lawson learned he’d be driving at F1 Qatar GP via surprise Daniel Ricciardo FaceTime call
The 21-year-old New Zealander will once again stand in for Ricciardo at Al𒆙phaTauri this weekend as the latter continues to recover from breaking his left hand at the Dutch Grand Prix in August.
Lawson, who has replaced Ricciardo at Zandvoort, Monza, Singapor🐻e and Suzuka so far, revealed he found out he would be in🦂 the car again directly from the Australian.
Red Bull’s reserve driver got a FaceTime call from a number he didn’t recognise at lunchtime on Monday - and it turned out to be Ricci🎃ardo.
“On Monda💯y, so I was sitting at lunch and I had a random number call me and it was a FaceTime,” Lawson explained on Thursday in Qatar.
“I was r༒eally confused because people don't just FaceTime randomly, so I answered it and it was just Daniel's ♑face.
“And he 🦹basically said that he thought he would let me have♚ another weekend.
“Obvi💟ously it’s good to be back and good to be in the car this weekend. It’s a very different circuit, but I'm excited.”
Lawson added: “After Japan I guess it was lookingไ more likely that we'd be driving so we just carried on pr꧙eparing like normal.
“I didn't as🌃sume I was driving but we just prep🎐ped like like a normal situation like I would be.
“Obviously💙 I want to be here full time but just trying to make the most of this.”
Asked if Ricciardo had given him any indication whether he will return to the cockpit for the United States Grand Prix in Austin💙 on October 20-22, Lawson replied: “I think that's definitely the target.
“I would say it's more likely that he would be back in Austin, but obviously I can't say fo🍸r certain.
“Obviously we have over a week to to give more time to be ready for it. So I would say it's probab🍃ly Austin.”
With Ricciardo already confirmed at AlphaTauri for 2024, alongside168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Yuki Tsunoda, Lawson is sꦛet for another year on the sidelin🔴es in his reserve role.
There has been talk that Lawson could be loaned to Williams as a replacement for168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Logan Sargeant, but that scenario has ✅been downplayed by🍸 both parties.
Asked if 𒅌there is a hypothetical chance that he could be loaned to a non-Red Bull te💮am for next season, Lawson said: “I don’t know, honestly.”
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for mahbx.com around the world. Often🔜 reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of th൲e people who matter in the sport.
