Liam Lawson says he has been told to battle Yuki Tsunoda to secure a full-time spot in Formula 1 in 2025.
Red Bull have decided to omit Daniel Ricciardo for the remainder of this season and replace him with Lawson at RB. The New Zealander makes his first start of the year at the United States Grand Prix this weekend. Lawson said he would only focus on the six races remaining so far and should earn a spot alongside Tsunoda next season as well.
“It’s very simple,” Lawson told RACER. “The sort of goal that is set is basically to perform from your seat. They definitely want me to match Yuki and that will give me the best chance of securing a spot next year, but it’s always being evaluated.
“They may even tell you that you will be running a race next year. But if I don’t perform well next year, they definitely won’t put me in the car. And it always will be that way.”
Lawson impressed in five races last year in place of the injured Ricciardo, and has not felt any added pressure due to heightened expectations since that outing.
“That’s certainly not the way I see it,” he said. “Even for experienced drivers, even if they’ve had a great season, going into a new season, even a new race weekend, we’re all very short-sighted on this issue. And if you have a good race weekend, that’s okay. But basically, next time we start again, we always get evaluated.
“That’s always going to be the case, whether it’s the first six races or finishing the fifth season and moving on to another season. If you are not good at your job, you will be judged on your performance, especially by your team.
“It’s the same as last year. The only difference is that at least I know I’ll get a 6. [starts]. Last year, I had no idea how much work I would get into. But it is all performance-based and always will be. So I think the sooner you realize and accept it, the better off you will be.”
Lawson is clearly the frontrunner for a full-time spot in 2025 – but team principal Christian Horner has also hinted he could be included in the Red Bull drive frame if needed. There are also options for Red Bull junior ranks moving up towards F1. Isack Hadjar is the most likely alternative. The French driver is currently second in the Formula 2 standings, 4.5 points off the lead, and has already completed three FP1 appearances.
