Lawson does not see himself at Red Bull in 2025
The New Zealander, who will be taking his first laps of the season this weekend in Austin, addressed the rumours that he will be joining Red Bull next year. According to him, this possibility is unrealistic and his main objective is to beat Yuki Tsunoda and help Racing Bulls.
This is an opportunity he must seize at all costs. Liam Lawson, reserve driver for Red Bull, has just been promoted to Racing Bulls replacing Daniel Ricciardo, who was ousted after finishing a distant eighteenth in the Singapore Grand Prix. The New Zealander will have the opportunity to prove his worth in the remaining six Grand Prix races, which could ultimately be crucial for his career. If he achieves good results against his teammate Tsunoda and considering Perez’s poor form, Liam Lawson could become Max Verstappen’s future teammate. However, he considers this prospect unlikely.
Lawson prioritizes his work at Racing Bulls first.
« I think it’s really far-fetched, honestly,” he said during the FIA press conference at Circuit of the Americas yesterday. « The goal set is the same as it has been since I was 17 and joined the program. » Despite the desire of some representatives of the Austrian brand to prioritize a young driver alongside Max Verstappen, like Helmut Marko, the former Formula 2 driver focuses above all on his own performances and not on those of the Mexican. He notably expressed his desire to compete with his Japanese teammate.
« Obviously, Yuki has done a very good job in recent years, and especially this year. He is the reference point for me to compare myself. He is the only one who has the same car as me, so I will be directly compared to him. I suppose their goal or expectation is to be alongside him on the grid and during the race. At the very least. Competing with Yuki is the goal that has been set. »
Kiwi will therefore have the opportunity to compete with Yuki Tsunoda for the second time after replacing Daniel Ricciardo for five rounds last year. That season, he more than held his own against the Japanese as he scored two points more than him during their partnership. However, Lawson does not yet consider his future, preferring to focus on his performances with Racing Bulls on the track and not think about 2025. “I would assume the goal or expectation from their side is for me to fight alongside him. So, as far as my situation for next year or the future is concerned, I have absolutely no idea. But that is the goal that has been set.”
The New Zealander hopes to be able to help the Faenza team accumulate as many points as possible in its duel against Haas for sixth place in the constructors’ standings, the American team only having a three-point lead. « I am fighting for the team’s 6th place in the championship. Basically, trying to get into the points as quickly as possible is my goal. »
A well-prepared driver ready to come back to Formula 1
Furthermore, he revealed that the tests organized this season by Pirelli were very helpful for him to readapt to driving a Formula 1 car. He had not raced since the Super Formula championship last year, which he finished in second place behind current Formula 2 driver Ritomo Miyata. “It was useful for my neck, honestly,” he said. “We mostly did long runs. It was good to do them, even though I would have preferred to go out and do short stints and push, it was good to do long runs and prepare myself for the longer races in Formula 1.” The Austin Grand Prix will give us a first glimpse of the pace Lawson is capable of maintaining against Tsunoda, two drivers who could compete for a seat at Red Bull in 2025 towards the end of this season.
