Liam Lawson's Passport Renewal Almost Derailed His Season

A simple administrative oversight could have sidelined Liam Lawson from two Grands Prix this season. The Racing Bulls driver admits he only renewed his passport after the Japanese Grand Prix — a move that would have left him unable to travel to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia had those races not been rescheduled from their original mid-April dates. Fortunately for him, the calendar change gave him a lifeline.

Why it matters:

For F1 drivers, a valid passport is as essential as a race seat. With the sport spanning multiple continents and ever-changing visa requirements, even small lapses can derail a season. For Lawson, in his first full campaign with a competitive midfield team, missing races due to paperwork would have been a major blow to both his career and the team's plans.

The details:

• Lawson, 24, faced a grueling start: pre-season testing in Barcelona and Bahrain, followed by consecutive races in Australia, China, and Japan over four weekends.
• After Suzuka, he realized his passport was full of stamps and needed renewal — a task he had neglected during the busy winter break.
• "I ended up staying in New Zealand a little bit longer, with my family, so it was good. So I got a new passport, and I'm good for another five years — or by the time I run out of pages again," Lawson told media including RacingNews365.
• He admitted his poor planning: "That's my preparation and sort of organisational skills that are highlighted there. I probably should have done it before the season."
• The original schedule had the Bahrain Grand Prix on April 13 and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on April 20. Both were later moved to later in the year due to regional conflicts, giving Lawson a crucial window to renew his document without missing any races.
• Lawson returned to New Zealand during a rare break, spending extra time with family while arranging the new passport.

What's next:

Lawson now has a fresh passport valid for five years — or until he runs out of pages again. The incident serves as a reminder of the off-track challenges that can test even the most focused drivers. With a new travel document in hand, he can concentrate on building on his early-season performances without worrying about border control. He'll need to stay on top of visa renewals as the circus travels across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.