Liam Lawson's Red Bull Future To Be Announced After The Summer Break- Helmut Marko

Saajan Jogia | Aug 7, 2024

Christian Horner and Helmut Marko / Red Bull Content Pool

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko has revealed that reserve driver Liam Lawson's future will be announced in September. The 22-year-old driver has been eagerly waiting on the sidelines since his F1 debut last year when he performed reserve driver duties for Red Bull junior team VCARB.

Lawson became the talk of the town after showcasing his racing prowess by stepping in for VCARB driver Daniel Ricciardo in 2023 while the Australian was recovering from a wrist injury. As a reserve driver, Lawson displayed exceptional skills and even scored points for the team, earning widespread acclaim.

His five-race display was enough for teams such as Williams to approach him for a full-time F1 seat. However, the faithful Red Bull driver stood by his choices and confirmed that he was waiting for an opportunity to race for his team.

However, there is only one potential spot for Lawson in 2025: the seat alongside Yuki Tsunoda, replacing Daniel Ricciardo. This is because Tsunoda, Red Bull's Sergio Perez, and Max Verstappen, have already secured contracts for the upcoming season.

This is assuming that Red Bull does not exercise the exit clause on the contracts of the drivers mentioned. It is noteworthy that Ricciardo and Perez were under the threat of being ousted by Red Bull, considering the recent slump in performance.

While Ricciardo struggled to finish races in the points, his teammate Tsunoda has outperformed him in several races so far. On the other hand, Red Bull was closely scrutinizing Perez's performance despite the contract extension signed in June, given the drop in form that caused huge inconsistencies in performance. While both drivers are in the safe zone, their performances will likely be scrutinized for improvement in the remaining ten races of the season.

Lawson has been waiting for a seat on one of the two teams, and the Milton Keynes outfit must act fast to assure him of a timeline. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Marko has revealed in his Speedweek column that the decision on the reserve driver's future will be announced in September. He wrote:

“We will announce what happens next with Liam Lawson in September.

“The fact that he was able to gain more Formula 1 kilometres of experience in Imola had been planned for some time. Even if the competition would like to use him on loan, he is not available for that.”

Marko's statement that Liam Lawson won’t be "available" on loan suggests the Kiwi driver has been assured a seat for next season, likely hinting at a VCARB seat alongside the already-confirmed Yuki Tsunoda. This raises obvious questions about Ricciardo’s future. If Lawson takes the VCARB seat, will Ricciardo step up to replace Perez, or will he be released to pursue opportunities elsewhere?