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Marko made no promises to Lawson about 2025: 'Nothing is fixed'
Liam Lawson drove five Grands Prix last year on behalf of (then) AlphaTauri as Daniel Ricciardo's replacement. He did not do so without merit, and that is perhaps putting it mildly. For a brief moment, Lawson might have hoped to take a seat in the 2024 car, but in the end the choice fell on the Yuki Tsunoda-Daniel Ricciardo duo. The New Zealander is hoping for a permanent F1 seat in 2025, but nothing is certain.
"Honestly, there’s no set timeline for my future. There’s nothing set in stone, obviously, with my future.Basically, for me, it’s about staying ready and hopefully we have some opportunity coming," Lawson answered to a question from Speedcafe when hearing more about what Red Bull's plans are for him next season.
There were rumours last year that Lawson was promised a spot at Visa Cash App RB for 2025 by Helmut Marko, but Lawson has thus denied that promise. Ricciardo and Tsunoda's contracts do expire after this season at the Faenza-based team, so there are opportunities for Lawson to step in. Especially if Ricciardo does not manage to put a higher level on the mat in the coming months. The Australian already received a first warning from Marko.
Lawson to watch from the sidelines
Lawson is travelling with Red Bull this season as the team's third and reserve driver. The 22-year-old driver has competed in several racing classes in recent years, including Formula 2, DTM and Japanese Super Formula. This year, for the first time, he will not compete in a championship for a whole year. Lawson's mileage is therefore limited, also because he is no longer allowed to participate as a rookie in Formula 1's two mandatory rookie practice sessions.
All teams must field a rookie (with less than three F1 starts to his name) for two free practice sessions. Lawson has passed that number with five starts. "I still feel like a rookie," he said. So what will his programme look like in 2024? "It’ll basically be mostly simulator work," Lawson replied.