BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - MARCH 02: Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App RB looks on in the garage prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on March 02, 2024 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202403020272 // Usage for editorial use only //
Around eight months ago, Liam Lawson emerged onto the F1 stage in highly impressive fashion. He was thrown into the deep end during the Dutch GP, filling in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo. With only a few rounds to adapt and showcase his abilities, Lawson demonstrated his calibre almost immediately.
Whilst the faster driver at the Faenza team was still Yuki Tsunoda, the Kiwi showed tremendous pace in a very short period of time. Therefore, he is seen as someone with a near-guaranteed future in F1.
Indeed, it was reported last year that Lawson’s contract with Red Bull gives him the option to leave the Austrian set-up if he is not offered a 2025 contract. On paper, this can be interpreted as a strong indication that Christian Horner’s team will work to offer him a seat. After all, losing a driver of his talents is surely not the objective at Milton Keynes.
However, perhaps this assumption is flawed. Lawson already showed his talents last year, and Red Bull still opted against giving him a full-time seat. Moreover, with Sergio Perez performing well, Lawson’s arrival would require either Tsunoda or Ricciardo to lose out.
For well over a season, Yuki Tsunoda has been performing at a high level. Against a variety of teammates, the Japanese driver continues to hold his own. This is currently evidenced by his results in 2024, scoring 7/7 of RB’s total so this season.
Daniel Ricciardo, meanwhile, is starting to show flashes of promise. Both in Japan and China, Ricciardo made a notable step forward in his performance. Red Bull’s affinity for the Australian is well-established, so it is not beyond the question that – despite his age – he spends another year at Faenza.
With this in mind, Lawson’s entry into F1 – whilst logical – faces obstacles.
