Lawson determined to "prove why I belong here" after ousting from Red Bull · RaceFans

Liam Lawson says he is determined to prove he belongs in Formula 1 after Red Bull demoted him to their second team just two rounds into his first full season.

He arrived at Suzuka for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix wearing Racing Bulls team wear after Yuki Tsunoda replaced him at Red Bull.

Lawson said the change is “something I wasn’t expecting so early” and came as a complete surprise to him following the Chinese Grand Prix last month. “I had no idea in China,” he said during today’s FIA press conference. “It was something that was decided, I guess, the Monday or Tuesday afterwards.”

“I left China, starting preparations for Japan and I had a phone call basically saying that this was what was going to happen,” he added.

He embarked on his first full season with Red Bull having started just 11 grands prix over the previous two years. Despite losing his place so quickly, Lawson is relieved to still have a drive and is eager to demonstrate what he’s capable of.

“We know how Formula 1 is and how quickly things change,” he said. “If I look back a year ago, I had no seat. I was here a year ago watching and wishing I was racing.

“Then I had the opportunity to race at the end of last year and the opportunity then to go to Red Bull Racing. So a lot has happened in 12 months.

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“So for me, the main thing is being in a car. I have the opportunity to obviously prove why I belong here and that’s what I’ll try and do and that’s what I do every single time I get in the car and that’s what I will be doing this weekend. I think things change very, very quickly: in terms of where my future is, I don’t know, and for me the only way can control that is by driving fast.”

Before the season began Lawson repeatedly said he expected the opening rounds would be difficult as he had never previously driven on tracks such as Albert Park in Melbourne or Shanghai. He expects to have an easier build-up to the weekend at Suzuka, where he previously raced for his new team in 2023.

“That was what I was obviously looking forward to from the start, to be honest,” he said, “to go to a track that I’ve been to before, just to have a proper sort of preparation. I now have that.

“So it’s exciting to be here, it’s a track I think we all like as drivers. And it’s one of my favourite tracks to drive on, so I’m very excited.”

Having returned to the team he started six rounds for last year, Lawson has adjusted quickly to the familiar surroundings.

“We’ve done simulator [work] and it’s all been okay,” he said. “Obviously you don’t truly know until you drive the car so going out tomorrow will be the first proper test.

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“For sure it’ll probably take a session or two to adjust again, but we have three practice sessions here so I’ll be making the most of that.”

This article will be updated