AlphaTauri rookie Liam Lawson says advice over the years from fellow Kiwi and Supercar ace Shane Van Ginsbergen on how to adapt to different machinery is helping him adapt to Formula 1.
Lawson subbed for Daniel Ricciardo at Zandvoort last weekend and will remain in the Aussie's seat at AlphaTauri until the latter's return to the fray.
But the 21-year-old was drafted in at the last hour and started his Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday with limited knowledge of his car and virtually no insight on tyre usage, not to mention the challenge thrown his way by the race's wet-dry-wet conditions.
But Lawson acquitted himself well and is pursuing his apprenticeship at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where on Friday he finally enjoyed his first dry session at the wheel of his AT04.
Lawson is no stranger to versatility, having raced in the competitive DTM series, in Formula 2 and this year in the equally fierce Super Formula championship in Japan.
And over the years, Van Gisbergen, thanks to his own experience of jumping from one machine to the other, has provided the young gun with some good pointers on how to quickly adapt to a new environment.
"Obviously, all very different," Lawson said, referencing the diversity of his past endeavors, quoted by RACER.
"It’s not like DTM specifically helps Formula 1, or Formula 2 specifically helps. But basically, being able to adapt to different things, and doing it quite quickly…
"Zandvoort was something that was the most challenging for me ever, that situation. So I think for sure it helps having that variety of things I’ve driven.
"I have a close friend, New Zealand driver Shane van Gisbergen, who drives everything that’s different, whether it’s dirt, or tarmac, or cars or bikes, he does everything, and he’s extremely good at adapting to different things. So I think it helps.
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"For sure a lot of the New Zealand drivers have been (helpful) to me and he’s somebody that I was lucky enough to meet quite young.
"But I think also because in New Zealand, it’s very difficult to make it to the top in any direction you go in motorsport.
"So we all stay quite connected and speak with each other and that’s quite cool to have those relationships."
But last weekend, Lawson also received some wholehearted support from Ricciardo himself.
“We spoke after the announcements, he was still at the track and Daniel being the amazing guy he is, was extremely supportive and offered any help that he could give," he said.
"Obviously, something like this is not the way I would have chosen to come into Formula 1. It’s not something you want to see, especially to someone like Daniel, but you get one shot, and it’s come now."
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And Lawson is determined to make the most of his "one shot" to convince Red Bull that his talent is worthy sooner rather than later of a full-time drive in F1.
"Anytime you get a shot… you really only get one shot at Formula 1. For me, that’s come right now," he repeated.
"So, I understand for sure the importance of it, but it’s not like something that I’m I’m looking at trying to set up for next year.
"Right now, the focus is on this weekend and how important it is. But that’s really as far as it goes.
"There’s not a clear target [from Red Bull], like a position or something like that from the weekend, just to continue to improve.
"But I’m sure before the weekend or after practice at least we’ll have more of an idea of where we sit sort of with everybody. And then maybe I have more of a clear target."
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