D'Arcy Waldegrave: Liam Lawson has created quite the storm

The All Sport Breakfast

Liam Lawson has created quite the storm since arriving for his second shot at Formula One.

He’s managed to upset all in sundry in the paddock, rubbing veterans up the wrong way with his aggressive attitude, reckless middle finger, and evidence that he has speed to burn. This is the concern for the field, they know he’s quick and he’s not afraid to show it.

Sure, he apologised to Perez after flipping the bird at the Mexican, but he is in no way, shape, or form sorry for what he does on the track. As I’ve been at pains to point out all week, and he confirmed, he’s not in F1 to make friends, he’s there to win races.

Like most sports, F1’s currency is victory. Nothing more, nothing less.

Liam has given everything over the years to get this shot at the world's biggest, fastest, richest, and most storied motorsport category. Now he’s within touching distance of securing an extremely rare seat in F1, he’s not going to back off, he’s not going to meekly acquiesce to the wants of his apparent seniors, he’s going to try and leave them in his exhaust fumes.

Talk of his lack of respect is insane. Respect in motorsport is not earned through reverence, it’s earned through results.

It is not a popularity competition. The greatest drivers in Formula 1 are not feted for their likeability and charm, by and large they’ve not been nice people. They win by any means necessary.

Some may see his digit gesture as a blot on his copybook, but really it was an exclamation mark added to the statement of intent around his season so far.

Liam is his own man, solely focused on the prize, he won’t make way for anyone.

Rage against the Machine’s signature tune, ‘Killing in the Name’, sums him up perfectly, “F**k you I won’t do what you tell me”.

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