Liam Lawson to race AlphaTauri at Dutch Grand Prix
Red Bull and AlphaTauri reserve driver Liam Lawson will make his first Formula 1 race of his career, replacing Daniel Ricciardo at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Ricciardo had an accident in his second practice session and broke his hand.
The New Zealand driver knows Zandvoort well, as he raced in Formula 2 last year, and also knows the AlphaTauri engineers.
Lawson took the AlphaTauri in the first session of both the Belgian and Mexican races in 2022.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes Lawson faces a big challenge, but thinks he can handle it.
When asked about Lawson's mindset prior to his debut, Horner replied, "That's why he's here." said.
โHe is the reserve driver for both teams precisely because of such a scenario.โ
"He's going to take a single practice session in a car he's never driven before, and then he'll be driving in qualifying on one of the toughest tracks."
โF1 is like that. Sometimes luck comes your way, one's misfortune is another's luck. But I'm sure it will be fine."
Confirming that Ricciardo is unlikely to return to the cockpit this weekend, Horner said, "No, he can't because he broke a bone in his hand." said.
โIt's sad for him because the session was going well for him. What happened was unfortunate. By the time she saw Oscar, it was too late.โ
โThe blow from the steering wheel also damaged his hand. It's sad for him but good to see he's okay. He's still in good spirits."
Ricciardo is expected to be treated by Doctor Xavier Mir, known for his work with MotoGP riders, who also operated on Lance Stroll earlier this year.
Horner said, โIt is necessary to consider each day separately. He has a good medical team to work with. These guys recover incredibly quickly.โ said.
โLance broke more bones earlier in the year than Daniel. He's a tough Australian. I'm sure he'll want to get back as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, Horner said the fight is imminent in Zandvoort this weekend.