Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has confirmed that Liam Lawson will be racing in Formula 1 next season, either the main Red Bull Racing team or its sister outfit, Visa Cash App RB.
Lawson, who is currently serving as Red Bull’s official reserve driver and who enjoyed his F1 debut exactly one year ago at the Dutch Grand Prix when he replaced on the fly an injured Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri, had been tipped by many to secure a race seat for 2024.
While there was speculation that the talented Kiwi could replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull Racing or Daniel Ricciardo at RB before the summer break, the energy drink giant ultimately chose to maintain its current lineup, with Perez continuing alongside Max Verstappen and Ricciardo remaining at RB alongside Yuki Tsunoda.
However, Lawson's contractual situation dictates that Red Bull must offer him a race seat for 2025 to avoid losing him to another team.
While they have until late 2024 to make a final decision, Marko's comments suggest a firm commitment to the young driver.
“He will certainly be in one of our cars next year,” Marko told Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung.
Marko’s comment inevitably throws the future of both Perez and Ricciardo into question. With Verstappen and Tsunoda already confirmed by their respective teams, one of the current drivers will need to make way for Lawson.
Perez, despite having a contract for 2025, faces pressure to perform in the upcoming races. A string of strong results, particularly at tracks where he has historically done well, could secure his position.
However, continued inconsistency would put the Mexican at risk of facing the axe at the end fo the season.
Ricciardo, who initially faced the possibility of replacing Perez, will also need to raise his game in the final ten races of the year to convince Red Bull of his long-term value.
At Zandvoort on Thursday, the Aussie acknowledged his plight, stating: “I still know that performance is, my best friend.
“And that's if I do what I know I can do and [am] capable of then it puts me in a very good position to obviously stay somewhere in the family for next year. I’ve just got to focus on that.
“Speaking on Liam - got to see him drive the car last year and I do think he did a great job. I do think he is worthy of a seat on the grid. In a way, I'm happy for him.
“Like, if he is guaranteed a seat next year, then I think that's good, because he is a deserving driver.
“So, then what that means for me? As I said, probably a little bit unknown, but if I perform then I'm sure they'll find a spot for me somewhere.”
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