Liam Lawson will have the chance to earn a promotion to a Red Bull Formula 1 drive should he impress in his spell with RB, team boss Christian Horner has indicated.
Lawson, who conducted five appearances last term, will compete in the remaining six F1 rounds this season as a replacement at RB for the expelled Daniel Ricciardo.
The New Zealander has been handed the opportunity to demonstrate that he deserves to partner incumbent Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull’s second-string team into 2025.
However, Lawson managing to thrive in his spell this season could see him enter contention to be a serious option to move up to a place with the reigning champions.
Sergio Perez’s persistent struggles in the second Red Bull seat have prompted doubt over his long-term future, despite the Mexican boasting a contract through 2026.
But while Ricciardo was unable to show that he warranted taking Perez’s spot, Horner has implied that the swap has occurred to review Lawson’s Red Bull credentials.
“Of course, in a perfect world that’s what we would have done, but from a broader perspective we need answers for the bigger picture in terms of drivers,” Horner told the F1 Nation podcast.
“And with six races remaining, it’s the perfect opportunity to line Liam up alongside Yuki, to see how he performs over the remaining six grands prix.
“This goes beyond VCARB, it encompasses Red Bull Racing.
“Obviously we have a contract with Sergio for next year, but you’ve always got to have an eye out in terms of what comes next.
“Is that going to be Liam? Or do we need to look outside the pool? Or will one of the other juniors step up in the fullness of time, whether it’s Isack Hadjar or Arvid Lindblad?”
Ricciardo’s potential lifeline?
Horner has expressed that the desirable outcome at Red Bull would be to witness Perez return to the level that saw him record four podiums in the opening five races.
But in the circumstance where his woes continue and Lawson doesn’t emerge as the solution, Horner has suggested that Ricciardo could remain under consideration.
“Obviously Checo finds his form and rediscovers the shape he was in at the beginning of the year and nothing changes,” he added.
“But as we know, in this business two weeks is long-term.
“We’ve made it very clear that we want [Ricciardo] to remain in an ambassadorial capacity with the team, and of course one never really knows.
“I mean, if Liam doesn’t get the job done, if Checo doesn’t get the job done, we know what Daniel’s capability is.
“But I think for him, he knows, at the age that he’s at, he’s had a great career. So many memories. The most disgusting thing ever was drinking champagne out of his sweaty boot!
“But he made it his own and he got some incredible people to drink the champagne from his sweaty shoe.”
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