Liam Lawson has spent most of his life focused on one goal: becoming a Formula 1 driver.
Now 24, the New Zealander has spent roughly seven years in the Red Bull system, navigating junior categories, reserve-driver duties, and the often unpredictable path to a permanent place on the F1 grid. His 2026 season with Racing Bulls has been his strongest yet, with a ninth-place finish at the United States Grand Prix on October 25.
For all the pressure that comes with that career, Lawson has found an unlikely way to step away from it: playing guitar.
“Playing music has been in my life, and a part of my life since I was very, very young,” Lawson told Men’s Journal ahead of the United States Grand Prix.
Liam Lawson’s Connection to Music Goes Back to His Childhood
His connection to music started at home in New Zealand. Lawson’s father played in a band and introduced Liam and his brother to guitar when they were about 6 years old. The brothers grew up playing together with friends and family, creating a connection to music that has lasted even as racing took over Lawson’s life.
That hobby recently brought Lawson into an entirely different kind of spotlight.
During Austin’s Grand Prix weekend, Lawson headlined Racing Bulls’ Garage Sessions at Inn Cahoots, performing alongside his brother and two childhood friends. The performance was Lawson’s first public musical performance in more than a decade and coincided with the launch of his custom LL30 GS Mini Special Edition Taylor Guitar.
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The guitar features a pink-to-white finish, Lawson’s No. 30 on the pickguard and the cartoon logo from his racing helmet.
Lawson admitted before the event that he wasn’t exactly sure how comfortable he’d be on stage.
“I’m not a performer,” he said. “So I have no idea how it’s going to go, to be honest.”
That uncertainty made the event a little different from anything he experiences behind the wheel.
“I’m very excited. I get to play my own guitar, which obviously is the most exciting part about this,” Lawson said.
The performance ultimately went better than his pre-show nerves might have suggested. Lawson and his bandmates played covers including Sam Barber’s “Indigo,” John Mayer’s “Daughters” and Sam Fender’s “Rein Me In,” before finishing with Morgan Wallen’s “I’m the Problem.” The show also attracted several familiar faces from the F1 paddock, including Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad, former teammate Isack Hadjar and former Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo.
But the Austin performance wasn’t simply a promotional detour for Lawson. Music has become one of the few ways he can disconnect from the intensity of Formula 1.
“I think the closer you get, especially now being in Formula One, it really takes over sort of every aspect of your life,” Lawson said.
That intensity can be difficult to appreciate from outside the paddock. An F1 season may look glamorous from the outside, but Lawson described the reality as “very busy,” “very intense,” and full of pressure.
The biggest challenge, he said, is that there’s rarely much time to sit with either the highs or lows. The next race is usually right around the corner.
“They are obviously amazing when you have them and when things are going well and you’re succeeding,” Lawson said. “But you know the next race weekend is literally normally the next week, and you pretty much immediately reset towards that.”
That makes finding something outside of racing especially important.
“I have to sort of remind myself sometimes that it’s obviously very cool that I’ve obviously wanted to do this for a very long time,” Lawson said.
Playing guitar gives him that opportunity to reset.
“I’ve found it very valuable, at least for like switching off in between sessions or after race weekends,” he said.
