Red Bull starlet Liam Lawson has described his reserve driver role as ‘very frustrating’ as he waits for a full-time opportunity in F1. The New Zealander has been restricted to watching from the sidelines after impressing as a substitute for Daniel Ricciardo last season.

After replacing Ricciardo for the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix onwards, Lawson made an immediate impression, keeping his car clean in treacherous conditions on race day before finishing in P11 in Monza, and then claiming his first F1 points with a P9 finish in Singapore.

An accomplished display at the Japanese Grand Prix followed before Lawson’s time in the spotlight came to an end with a frustrating weekend in Qatar. Off the back of these displays, many expected the 22-year-old to step into a full-time drive in 2024, but Red Bull instead opted to hand Ricciardo a full season to showcase his talents.