Kiwi Formula 1 driver Liam Lawson will miss the first practice session at this weekend’s Mexico Grand Prix, after Red Bull asked him to hand his car over to a young rookie for an hour.
Nikola Tsolov, a 19-year-old Bulgarian driver who is currently second in the Formula 2 championship, will take the wheel of Lawson’s car instead. It will be his very first time in any Formula 1 session.
Under F1 rules, every team must give its reserve drivers a chance to drive in four practice sessions each year, which is why Lawson is stepping aside this time.
“I’m excited to take this next step, build on that experience and learn more about the car and the current regulations,” Tsolov said.
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane said giving young drivers track time was important. “It reflects our commitment to nurturing emerging talent and giving our junior drivers valuable track time and the support they need to learn and develop,” he said.
Lawson currently sits ninth in the overall drivers’ standings, after scoring points at the United States Grand Prix earlier this week. He is still waiting to find out if he will keep his seat with the team next season.
Māori Version
He Taraiwa Hou mō te Motokā F1 o tētahi Kiwi
Ka ngaro te kaitaraiwa Formula 1 o Aotearoa, a Liam Lawson, i te wāhanga whakangungu tuatahi o te Grand Prix o Mexico i tēnei wiki, i muri i tā Red Bull tono ki a ia kia tukuna tōna motokā ki tētahi taraiwa hou mō te haora kotahi.
Ka taraiwa a Nikola Tsolov, he tama 19 tau te pakeke nō Bulgaria, e tū ana i te tuarua i te whakataetae Formula 2 i tēnei wā, i te motokā o Lawson. Ko tēnei tana wā tuatahi ki te taraiwa i tētahi wāhanga Formula 1.
I raro i ngā ture a F1, me whakawātea e ia kapa ō rātou kaitaraiwa tūāpapa ki te taraiwa i ngā wāhanga whakangungu e whā i ia tau, koia te take i tū mai ai a Lawson mō tēnei wā.
“E hihiri ana ahau ki te mahi i tēnei taahiraa, ki te whakapakari i tōku mātauranga, ki te ako anō mō te motokā me ngā ture o nāianei,” tā Tsolov i kī.
I kī te kaiārahi matua o Racing Bulls, a Alan Permane, he mea nui te tuku wā ki ngā taraiwa taiohi. “E whakaatu ana tēnei i tā mātou manawanui ki te whakatipu i te mātauranga hou, me te tuku i ngā wā aro nui, tautoko hoki, ki ā mātou kaitaraiwa taiohi kia ako, kia tipu,” tāna i kī.
Kei te tuaiwa a Lawson i te rārangi tapeke o ngā kaitaraiwa, i muri i tana riro i ētahi piro i te Grand Prix o te United States i tēnei wiki kua hipa. Kei te tatari tonu ia kia mōhio mēnā ka pupuri tonu ia i tōna tūru mō te kapa ā tērā tau.
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