Liam Lawson reveals karting ‘hero’ inspiration behind choice of F1 race number

He said his karting “hero” had also run with the number 30 in his own junior career, which led him to do the same throughout his own junior career, which he will be bringing to Formula 1 from the United States Grand Prix onwards.

Liam Lawson reveals strong karting connection behind choice of F1 race number

On his stand-in appearances for Daniel Ricciardo last season, Lawson ran with the assigned number 40 in the five races in which he appeared.

But now he has been signed to replace him on a contract until the end of the year, the New Zealander was given a free choice of number of those left available between 2 and 99 – with number 1 reserved solely for the reigning World Champion and 17 having been retired in honour of the late Jules Bianchi.

For VCARB driver Lawson, his preferred number of 30 was still available, so he has taken up that option.

Most drivers hold a personal connection to the numbers with which they have chosen to race in Formula 1 (or those who had their first choice available, anyway), and the 22-year-old is no different.

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“I’m going to be racing with number 30 because it’s the number that I’ve raced with since I was eight years old,” Lawson revealed on an Instagram video for VCARB.

“It wasn’t actually the very first number I drove with, that was 18, but [in] my first year of go kart racing, I moved into a team, and there was a guy who looked after me, who became like my hero, my idol, when I was a kid in go karts, and he ran with number 30 – so I picked number 30 because of him.

“He taught me everything about go kart racing when I was younger and then basically I held that number all the way through until today. and I’ve told him as well that I’m bringing our number into Formula 1 and he’s ****ing stoked!”