AlphaTauri earmarks Lawson for Abu Dhabi test

©AlphaTauri

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Red Bull junior Liam Lawson will enjoy his first official F1 outing in December when the F2 and DTM racer takes part in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi with AlphaTauri.

The Kiwi is currently eighth in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with two rounds – or six races – to go, and raced competitively this season in the German DTM Series just missing out on the title.

AlphaTauri's line-up will remain unchanged in 2022, with Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda.

Lawson is expected to be joined at the Yas Marina test by his Hitech GP F2 teammate and fellow Red Bull junior Juri Vips.

Read also - Hulkenberg: Bottom half of F1 field 'not as good as it used to be'

"Liam is a down to earth guy," commented last summer Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko. "He works very hard and is honest. If he makes a mistake, he immediately acknowledges it.

"He works well with the engineers. If he sees a weakness, he works on it and you don't see it again.

"He analyses very well, he can handle [the pressure] and he's also very, very ambitious."

Next December's young drivers test in Abu Dhabi, where Pirelli will trial its 2022 18-inch tyres, will also feature rising IndyCar star Pato O'Ward who will take to the track with McLaren.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.