He can't help it!

Ricciardo replacement Lawson receives a hammer penalty!

What a bad start to his "second" Formula 1 career: Although he hasn't contested a Grand Prix since October 8, 2023 and therefore hasn't been able to do anything, Liam Lawson has been handed a mega penalty at the USA race this weekend! No matter what the New Zealander achieves in sprint qualifying, he will be moved back at least ten places on the grid in Austin, Texas ...

The reason for this is a little strange - and certainly unfair from the 22-year-old Lawson's point of view: the Australian whom the New Zealander will replace in the last six races of the season, starting with the sprint at the US GP, is to blame, namely Daniel Ricciardo.

Daniel Ricciardo(Bild: Pail Sepp)

In the course of the season so far, he had already used up his entire engine quota covered by the regulations - and as Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has now confirmed, the successor takes over the predecessor's quota in the event of a driver change.

Liam Lawson(Bild: GEPA)

"Easier return to Formula 1!"
From the team's point of view, the Austin race was chosen as the time to "redeem" the penalty because Lawson's relegation in the sprint will "make it easier for him to return to Formula 1".

"Yuki has made great progress since then!"
Expectations can therefore not get out of hand to the extent that miracles are hoped for, "then the pressure is immediately off." Of course, Lawson should not be too relaxed: Horner made it clear that he would be measured against teammate Yuki Tsunoda, he said on the F1 Nation podcast.

In the pre-season, Lawson had looked good against the Japanese driver when he stood in for the then injured Ricciardo, "but Yuki has made great progress since then. I'm looking forward to seeing how that develops..."