Red Bull's Future Uncertain: Liam Lawson Seeks New F1 Team
Jun.6 - There may be no space in Red Bull's Formula 1 race program for Liam Lawson.
The energy drink-owned outfit has clearly been trying to find a place for the impressive 22-year-old New Zealander, who is currently Red Bull's full time F1 reserve.
"We have a strong driver who, contractually, can drive for another team if he does not get a seat with us in 2025," Red Bull F1 consultant Dr Helmut Marko told Kleine Zeitung earlier this year.
Earlier, it had looked possible that Lawson could be slotted in at the junior outfit RB for 2025 - with Daniel Ricciardo or Yuki Tsunoda potentially graduating to the top team in the place of Sergio Perez.
However, Red Bull Racing has now confirmed Perez for two more seasons - while Faenza based RB's CEO Peter Bayer said in Monaco that he would like to retain both Ricciardo and Tsunoda for 2025.
"Red Bull's decisions are sometimes not completely understandable," former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland, "because they have a lot of people in their own junior program.
"But there are also financial reasons, because Max Verstappen is expensive and Perez brings in a lot of money through sponsors.
"You also hear that Christian Horner does not agree with restructuring the team," the German added. "That's why he would have said Tsunoda will not end up at Red Bull.
"And I don't think Liam Lawson is that welcome either."
So with potentially no room at RB or Red Bull Racing for Lawson next year, he appears to be contractually free to look around at other F1 teams for 2025.
"I have no idea," Lawson smiled when asked about his future by Talksport. "Everything is changing at the moment. There are a lot of drivers moving around.
"At the moment, I don't really know where I slot into that, or if I do at all. It's something that I'm working towards every day at the moment," he said.
"I would love to be with Red Bull in F1. This is my sixth year with them now. But obviously, if there's no seat there, my goal is F1. So that could be anywhere."
No matter the outcome, Lawson does not appear keen to simply remain Red Bull's F1 reserve beyond this season.
"I don't want to be in F1 because someone is injured," he said. "I want to be in F1 because a team chooses for me to be there full-time."
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Of course, another team, i.e., a non-Red Bull one would mean an end to the contractual status.
Ricciardo holding up a young driver getting his chance.
I don't understand why Horner is backing Ricciardo so much. Ricciardo was never a WDC material no matter how much he likes to think so and talks himself up.
Horner is not doing the best for Red Bull by keeping Ricciardo in place.Whatever happened to Toro Rosso/ Alpha Tauri/ Vcarb racing being a place for young drivers to start and then graduate to the Red Bull car.
Red Bull have decided to keep Perez because of the barrow loads of Mexican money he brings and they are afraid Lawson will be a greater challenge for Max. Lawson is clearly a good talent and deserves a full-time seat in F1, but I hope it will be in a car where he can show his skills.
I agree that Ricciardo should be shown the door and Lawson get his seat. It would provide more of a challenge to Yuki!
Well there you go, MV throwing his toys out the pram unless he's assured of getting the best car AND worst team mate.
Following list shows 2 drivers, MV and SV, who liked weak team mates:
MV 3 WDCs with team mates who had achieved or went onto achieve WDC 0
LH 7 WDCs with team mates who had achieved or went onto achieve WDC 8
NR 1 WDC with team mates who had achieved or went onto achieve WDC 7
SV 4 WDCs with team mates who had achieved or went onto achieve WDC 0
KR 1 WDC with team mates who had achieved or went onto achieve WDC 5
FA 2 WDCs with team mates who had achieved or went onto achieve WDC 4
MS 7 WDCs with team mates who had achieved or went onto achieve WDC 3
MH 2 WDCs with team mates who had achieved or went onto achieve WDC 2