News Summary
- Liam Lawson will headline a live concert in Austin on October 22, performing with his brother and two childhood friends.
- The Racing Bulls driver has unveiled the LL30 GS Mini Special Edition, a custom guitar developed with Taylor Guitars.
- Lawson admits he is more nervous about performing live than racing in Formula 1, with his 2027 seat still undecided.
Liam Lawson has admitted that performing live on stage makes him more nervous than driving a Formula 1 car, as the Racing Bulls driver prepares to headline a concert in Austin ahead of the United States Grand Prix and launch his own signature guitar in partnership with Taylor Guitars.
The New Zealander will perform at Garage Sessions on Thursday, October 22, at Inn Cahoots on Austin’s East Sixth Street, reuniting with his brother Marcus and childhood friends Thomas and Harrison. The quartet will play together in public for the first time in years, turning Lawson’s long-standing passion for music into an official event during the Formula 1 race weekend.
Racing Bulls confirmed the performance on Friday, October 16, alongside the launch of the LL30 GS Mini Special Edition Taylor Guitar, a personalised acoustic instrument featuring Lawson’s racing number and helmet artwork.
In a separate interview published by the team, Lawson acknowledged that preparing for a concert presented a very different challenge from racing.
“I would say driving a race car is much easier,” Lawson said, admitting that he felt more nervous about the performance than he normally does before a Grand Prix.
Lawson reunites with childhood bandmates for Austin concert
Lawson’s interest in music began long before he reached Formula 1. His father played in a band throughout his childhood and encouraged Lawson and his brother to learn guitar when they were six years old. The Racing Bulls driver continued playing as his motorsport career developed, often using music to relax between races.
The Austin performance will bring him back together with people who were part of those early experiences. Marcus Lawson and friends Thomas and Harrison will join him on stage, recreating a group that used to play together during their childhood in New Zealand.
Lawson acknowledged that preparing for the reunion had been difficult because of his Formula 1 commitments. The four rarely have opportunities to practise together, and he has deliberately chosen songs that will not place excessive demands on his voice.
He also admitted that the prospect of playing in front of an audience had left him unusually anxious.
“Excited, but also very, very nervous,” he said when discussing the performance.
Country music will form an important part of the evening. Lawson described it as his favourite genre to play, citing its relaxed atmosphere and the opportunity for audiences to participate.
His musical influences include John Mayer and classic rock bands from the 1980s. Lawson recalled attending a Def Leppard concert when he was eight or nine after his father promised to take him if he achieved a distinction in a guitar examination.
Racing Bulls driver unveils custom LL30 Taylor guitar
The performance also marks the launch of Lawson’s partnership with Taylor Guitars, which has developed a special version of its GS Mini acoustic guitar around the driver’s racing identity.
The LL30 GS Mini Special Edition features a pink-to-white gradient finish, pink bridge pins and Lawson’s race number 30 on the pickguard. His cartoon helmet logo is engraved on the truss rod cover.
The instrument was designed to combine elements of his Formula 1 career with his personality outside the cockpit.
Lawson described the collaboration as particularly meaningful because of his family’s connection with music and the role guitar playing continues to have in his life.
He explained that he regularly picks up his instrument when he wants to switch off from racing, including between sessions and after Grand Prix weekends. Music also forms part of his preparation routine, with Lawson listening to songs before getting into the car.
The custom guitar has been unveiled ahead of the Austin event, with Taylor Guitars accepting registrations for a limited-edition release. The manufacturer has not announced a confirmed retail price in the Racing Bulls statement.
Garage Sessions brings live music to United States GP weekend
Racing Bulls’ Garage Sessions programme combines motorsport with live performances, bringing emerging musicians and established artists into events held around Formula 1 race weekends.
The Austin edition will take place at Inn Cahoots, 1221 East Sixth Street, beginning with Esses Bazaar at 15:00 local time on Thursday, October 22.
The afternoon programme will include food, live music, western-themed activities, tattoos and opportunities to see a Racing Bulls show car.
Garage Sessions will follow from 19:00 to 21:15, with Lawson and his childhood bandmates appearing alongside a line-up of country musicians and songwriters.
The event includes Jonathan Capeci, Scoot Teasley, Jess Farren and Alison Nichols, while Drake Milligan — who performed at the inaugural F1 Grid Gig during the 2025 United States Grand Prix — will close the evening.
Racing Bulls has confirmed that tickets are available through its official Garage Sessions announcement.
Lawson’s concert comes as Racing Bulls weighs 2027 decision
The announcement arrives during an important period for Lawson’s Formula 1 career, with Racing Bulls yet to confirm its driver line-up for 2027.
The New Zealander has produced a competitive campaign alongside Arvid Lindblad, strengthening his position after the difficulties he experienced during his brief promotion to Red Bull in 2025.
As GRANDE PRÊMIO’s statistical comparison of Lawson and Lindblad demonstrated, Lawson leads his teammate 10–4 in Grand Prix results across their shared race weekends.
The driver’s recovery has also attracted attention from former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who recently acknowledged that Lawson’s original promotion to the senior team had come too early. Horner’s comments about the 2025 decision emerged from his forthcoming autobiography.
Lawson’s recent performances include seventh place at the Singapore Grand Prix, where he resisted pressure from Nico Hülkenberg and George Russell. Previously unheard radio messages revealed that he had feared Russell’s late charge despite maintaining his position.
Racing Bulls continues evaluating Lawson, Lindblad and Formula 2 contender Nikola Tsolov before finalising its 2027 line-up. The different candidates and their prospects are examined in GRANDE PRÊMIO’s guide to the remaining Racing Bulls seats.
When is Liam Lawson’s Austin concert?
The Garage Sessions event takes place on Thursday, October 22, 2026, one day before Formula 1 practice begins at Circuit of The Americas.
| Event | Austin (CDT) | New York (EDT) | London (BST) | Auckland (NZDT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Esses Bazaar begins | Thu 15:00 | Thu 16:00 | Thu 21:00 | Fri 09:00 |
| Garage Sessions begins | Thu 19:00 | Thu 20:00 | Fri 01:00 | Fri 13:00 |
| Garage Sessions ends | Thu 21:15 | Thu 22:15 | Fri 03:15 | Fri 15:15 |
Lawson’s individual stage time has not been announced. The times above refer to the wider event, not a confirmed performance slot for the driver.
The United States Grand Prix takes place on October 23–25, with Lawson returning to the Racing Bulls cockpit for the next Formula 1 race. Readers can find the race date and calendar details in GRANDE PRÊMIO’s guide to F1’s return after Singapore.
