*How Lawson plans to build his Red Bull F1 case in Japan

*原標題：勞森將如何從日本開始沖擊F1？

**譯文版權up所有，原文及圖片摘自motorsport官網(wǎng)，有刪減

It’s been five years since Pierre Gasly finished runner-up in Super Formula on his way to a Toro Rosso F1 drive, but his 2017 campaign is still looked back upon with fondness in the Japanese series’ paddock.

自從加斯利以超級方程式（SF）年度亞軍的身份，加盟小紅牛算起，已經(jīng)過去五年了。不過在日本，圍場記得大家依舊對那個2017賽季津津樂道。

That’s partly because no other Red Bull junior since has come close to matching Gasly’s achievements, but also partly because it represented a high point in the series’ reputation as a stepping stone to the big-time that has since faded.

這一方面是因為，此后的紅牛青訓車手中，都沒有能復刻加斯利之成績者。另一方面，SF作為賽事的聲望在當時達到了一個頂點，此后多少不復當年。

Red Bull F1 reserve driver Liam Lawson is hoping to re-establish that link next season as he becomes the latest protege of the energy drink firm to make the move to Super Formula, and the comparisons with Gasly are irresistible.?

今年，紅牛儲備車手連姆·勞森成為了這支飲料廠隊轉會日本的又一新人。勞森希望重現(xiàn)當年加斯利的經(jīng)歷，當然，與后者的比較也會是不可避免的。

He’ll be driving for the same Mugen team that took Gasly to within half-a-point of the title in 2017, and also with two full seasons of GP2/F2 under his belt (albeit the Frenchman went to Japan as GP2 champion). Like Gasly was, he’ll be 21 years old when the season begins. He also faces the challenge of going up against one of the big beasts of the Honda stable within the same team - for Naoki Yamamoto in 2017, read Tomoki Nojiri in 2023.

勞森將駕駛和加斯利一樣的無限車隊賽車，2017賽季加斯利這輛車，僅僅以0.5分的劣勢丟掉了總冠軍。其他的情況也同加斯利極其相似：他們都完整參加了兩年的GP2/F2（只不過加斯利那時是GP2冠軍），賽季開始時他們都只有21歲，而他們也都需要和本田的一位本土大佬做隊友--2017年的山本尚貴，和現(xiàn)在2023的野尻智紀。

“The biggest thing I understood from watching Super Formula is how good the local drivers are,” Lawson tells Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview at Honda's Tokyo headquarters. “Just because you’ve raced in Formula 2 or been involved in Formula 1, it doesn’t mean you’ll come here and do well immediately. In fact, most guys don’t. Even Pierre struggled for his first few races.?

“現(xiàn)在觀察下來，我的感受就是，SF的本土車手都很快，”勞森在采訪中說，“不是說你在F2比賽過，或者有F1的經(jīng)驗，你就可以立馬在這里出成績，大部分人其實都辦不到。就算是皮埃爾（加斯利），開始幾場比賽也相當掙扎?！?/p>

Inevitably, sharing a garage with Nojiri means that Lawson will be measured up against the reigning champion, which is perhaps something of a mixed blessing. That will be especially true in qualifying, as Nojiri scooped no fewer than six of a possible 10 poles this year.

和衛(wèi)冕冠軍野尻智紀在同一間車庫，就逃不掉被拿來同這位大佬對比，這可能是件喜憂參半的事，尤其是在排位賽，畢竟日本大哥可是拿下了去年六成的桿位。

“It is [pressure], but I get to learn off the best, which is cool,” he says. “I am in the best possible position with the best team, up against Nojiri, but I’m going to learn a lot about the car. It’s a massive thing for me to have access to the best guy’s data.”

“壓力肯定有，不過我可以像最優(yōu)秀的車手學習，這很好，”勞森說，“我現(xiàn)在是在最強的車隊中，最強的車手邊，不會有比這更加理想的位置了。我還有很多SF賽車相關的東西要學，這之中還能接觸到最棒的車手的數(shù)據(jù)，簡直太重要了?！?/p>

For Lawson, there could hardly be a better time to be joining Super Formula, which is preparing to introduce a new car for the first time since 2019 next season.?It’s a double-edged sword, because it could mean Mugen losing its pre-eminence, although the change to the pecking order is unlikely to be quite as dramatic as it was in 2019.?

新賽季的SF將從2019算起，首次啟用新款賽車，這對勞森來說，確實是加盟日本賽事的絕佳時機，但同時也可能導致無限車隊丟失近年來的統(tǒng)治力，可謂是雙刃劍。不過，排位的變化應該不會像2019賽季那么混亂。

“The new aero could be a good thing, because I tested F1 and this is the direction the cars are going with the floor becoming more important in terms of creating downforce,” says Lawson when asked for his thoughts on the topic. “On that side, potentially it’s good, and hopefully I can bring something to the team.?”

“新的空力套件是個好事，我也測試過F1，兩者的趨勢是一致的，都是更多的通過底板來獲得下壓力，”勞森對新賽車發(fā)表著看法，“這么看來。也許這對我是好事，希望我能多幫助到車隊?！?/p>

He knows the value that Red Bull places on Super Formula, and that a Gasly-esque performance this year has the potential to hugely strengthen his case for a move to F1.

新西蘭小伙明白，SF在紅牛體系中份量頗重，這賽季如果能復刻加斯利的表現(xiàn)，會帶給他足夠的籌碼，對他后續(xù)沖擊F1大有裨益。

It would be wrong to frame Lawson’s quest for an F1 drive as 2024 or never. Just look at Nyck de Vries, seven years the senior of Lawson, being chosen to replace Alpine-bound Gasly at AlphaTauri in 2023.

現(xiàn)在就下定論，說勞森能否在2024或者以后拿到一個F1席位，還為時過早?？纯吹萝嚼锼拱?，他比勞森大七歲，堅持不懈的荷蘭小伙還不是在2023年成功加盟小紅牛？頂替的可就是加斯利啊。

But as far as Super Formula goes, the expectation is that for a driver of Lawson’s experience, it’s a one-year programme.?

不過，目前以勞森的經(jīng)驗和天賦，結合SF的溫床，大家都認為他只會在日本待一年。

“Most likely,” he says when asked if he thinks this will be the case. “But the good thing is I have age on my side a bit, because in New Zealand, we could start racing cars from 13.?

“很有可能，”在討論此事時，勞森自己也承認，“不過好消息是，我還算年輕，在新西蘭，你13歲就可以開始參加成人職業(yè)賽車了?！?/p>

“I’m 20 years old, but I’ve already done two seasons in F4, two seasons of F3 and two seasons of F2. And now I’m doing Super Formula. So I’m quite lucky in that respect. But at the same time, it’s a very important year for my career.”

“我現(xiàn)在20歲，但我已經(jīng)跑了兩年F4，兩年F3，有了兩個賽季的F2經(jīng)驗，現(xiàn)在又是SF，這么看我還真是個幸運的人。不過，今年對我以后的職業(yè)生涯真的很重要。”

原文地址：

https://www.motorsport.com/super-formula/news/lawson-interview-japan-mugen-honda/10413350/