Lawson: A Drive for ’25…but which car?
Aug 23, 2024
After months of speculation, gossip and intrigue, could Liam Lawson's Formula One promotion be about to happen?
Forget signals. We can now move on to strong indications for a 2025 seat after comments from Dr. Helmut Marko. The Red Bull Racing adviser was quoted in an Austrian newspaper stating that Lawson would “definitely” be in a Red Bull car in 2025.
The 81-year-old is a powerful force in the Red Bull operation, often described as the ‘decision maker’, especially when it comes to shaping their talent pool.
“In September, there will be a decision,” he began. “He will be sitting in one of our cars next year.”
The significance of September relates to an alleged clause in the young Kiwi’s contract, stating that Lawson is free to go to another team if Red Bull hasn’t offered him a seat by that point in the year.
After Lawson’s standout F1 stint last year, deputising for an injured Daniel Ricciardo in five races, it’s no surprise that his name was being whispered around the paddock as an outside option for teams like Sauber (soon to be Audi) and Williams.
This speculation has forced Red Bull to act, and it seems like Lawson’s most likely landing spot will be at VCARB alongside Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese driver signed a contract extension for the 2025 season back in June.
The collateral damage for this move would be Daniel Ricciardo, leaving the favourite of Red Bull team boss Christian Horner out of a drive, potentially spelling the end of the eight-time Grand Prix winner’s slow-burning comeback. Still, the Australian driver isn’t giving up hope just yet. “If I do what I said I can do, what I know I can do and am capable of, then I think it puts me in a very good position to stay somewhere in the family for next year. I've just got to focus on that.”
Though Lawson’s placing at VCARB could spell the end of Ricciardo’s F1 career, he still believes that Lawson deserves a spot on the grid.
“In a way, I'm happy for him like, if he's guaranteed a seat next year then I think that's good because he is a deserving driver.”
Option two for Lawson, and the less likely outcome, would be for the Kiwi to line up alongside the current World Champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull, potentially replacing a struggling Sergio Perez.
The Mexican’s poor performances this year led to a general expectation that he would be replaced before the summer break, but he was given a lifeline for the rest of the year.
If the 34-year-old can’t bring his pace closer to Verstappen’s, he’ll likely be dropped by Red Bull before the 2025 season, potentially leaving the most desirable seat on the grid vacant for Ricciardo or Lawson.