Liam Lawson was happy to score his first points of his FIA Formula 1 World Championship career last weekend in Singapore and is excited to be heading to a track he has already competed on this weekend for the Japanese Grand Prix.

The New Zealander continues to replace the recovering Daniel Ricciardo at Scuderia AlphaTauri for a fourth consecutive race this weekend at the Suzuka International Racing Course, a track on which he raced on earlier this year as part of his usual Super Formula season.

Lawson is ready for his first race in Formula 1 machinery around the circuit, knowing that the track offers little room for error, and he is keen to add to his experience and points tally on Sunday.

“I was really happy to pick up my first F1 points in Singapore and get a tough race distance under my belt,” said Lawson.  “Now I’m excited about Suzuka, which I know pretty well, as I’m racing in the Super Formula championship this year.

“It means I’ve tested and raced there quite a few times and I absolutely love it. Obviously being a Formula 1 track, when I first drove it, it was a pretty cool experience. It’s very iconic as well. More of an old-school style of circuit, with grass around the whole track and not much room for error.”

Lawson says the Super Formula cars that he has been driving are as close to Formula 1 as anything he has driven, but he is expecting the challenge to be much different this weekend than back in April.

“The Super Formula cars are fun to drive and are as close to Formula 1 as anything is, but in quite a unique way because it’s not the same feeling as a Formula 1 car,” he said.  “The car in Super Formula is very, very light and super agile to drive, with very high downforce, so it’s very enjoyable. But Suzuka is going to be very different in a Formula 1 car.

“I have been commuting to Japan this year because of my reserve roles in Formula 1, but I have spent a lot of time there. The food is amazing, and the culture is really cool. I’ve honestly enjoyed it a lot. The fans, even in Super Formula, are amazing and very passionate about racing.

“Motor sport, in general, is at a very high level. Obviously, having a Japanese team-mate in Japan, Yuki’s going to have an incredible amount of support, but having raced there this year, I’m super excited to hopefully see some of those Super Formula fans there as well.

“I’m hoping that we can be strong there, and it helps to know the track reasonably well. I’m expecting it to be very different to drive in a Formula 1 car, but I’m excited to go there. I think, in a Formula 1 car, it’s one of the best circuits you could drive.”

“As an event, it will be the best of the year for me” – Yuki Tsunoda

Team-mate Yuki Tsunoda has failed to complete the opening lap in either of the past two events, with a first lap retirement in Singapore following a mechanical issue before the start in Italy, however, the Japanese driver is already focused on doing well in front of his home fans.

Tsunoda has already been busy with promotional work ahead of the weekend in Suzuka, and he says, at least for him, it was incredible to have so much support last year at the circuit.

“For the past two races, through no fault of my own, I haven’t got past the first lap, but I’ve reset my mind, ready to bounce back strong in Suzuka,” said Tsunoda.  “Since arriving in Japan, we’ve been busy with various promotional events, getting a great welcome from the fans.

“I’m very much looking forward to this weekend. If I’m honest, I’ve actually been looking forward to it since the end of last year’s race! It’s definitely very special, and the way I felt there was completely different to all the other Grands Prix, with so much support from the fans there. It was incredible, and I can’t wait to be back there again. As an event, it will be the best of the year for me.”

Tsunoda believes it is good that team-mate Lawson has experienced Suzuka already this year, and he is expecting the New Zealander to have another impressive weekend as he builds his confidence behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car. 

And he is hoping the upgrades AlphaTauri brought to the AT04 last weekend in Singapore can help them break into the points once more and perhaps even move off the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship standings.

“It’s good for the whole team that Liam has experience at Suzuka, maybe even more than me in the higher categories,” said Tsunoda.  “By this weekend, Liam will have raced in three Grands Prix, so he will have more knowledge, and we’re expecting a good team performance.

“The upgrades we introduced in Singapore seem to work, so maybe we can aim for the top ten or top eight. We need to score more points, and the entire team is working towards that goal, with everyone pushing each other forward to try and achieve it.”