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Amid his unstable Formula 1 future, Red Bull junior driver Liam Lawson has unfurled his plan of action if the Austrian team doesn't sign him for the 2025 season.
The New Zealander is a reserve driver for Red Bull and debuted in the pinnacle of motorsport replacing Daniel Ricciardo in 2023. After parting ways with McLaren in 2022, the Aussie resurrected his F1 career, replacing Nyck De Vries, and driving for the then Alpha Tauri. But during the FP2 session at the Dutch Grand Prix, he crashed into the barriers on turn 3, fracturing a metacarpal on his left hand.
At that time, Liam Lawson filled in for Ricciardo for five races; Netherlands, Italy, Singapore, Japan, and the Qatar GP. His best spot came from the Singapore GP, coming with a P9 finish and two points in the bag. However, with the Honey Badger's return to the United States GP and the following races in the 2023 calendar, Lawson's time with Red Bull's sister team concluded.
Moving forward, Ricciardo's subpar display compared to his teammate Yuki Tsunoda has prompted Super Formula racer Ayumu Iwasa's entry into RB. The Japanese driver will debut with his FP1 stint on the asphalt of the Suzuka International Racing Course.
Instead of Lawson, Iwasa came in as a replacement driver, putting a question mark on the 22-year-old's future with the Milton Keynes-based outfit in F1. While eyeing a potential seat in the 2025 season, he said (via FormulaNerds):
“Obviously, for me, the dream is to drive with Red Bull, and I’ve been with them now for more than five years. They’re the most competitive team in Formula 1 right now, so if I could choose, I would drive for them.”
Lawson added:
“But my dream is to be in Formula 1, and if it can’t be with them, then obviously, I need to try and make that happen with somebody else.”
Daniel Ricciardo is reportedly on a two-race ultimatum as Liam Lawson awaits a second-time replacement
Being an 8x F1 race winner, Daniel Ricciardo's footing into the 2024 season has started on a lackluster note with zero points until now. The Aussie scored a P13 at the Bahrain GP, followed by a worse result of P16 in Jeddah. A P12 finish at the Australian GP followed, where teammate Tsunoda came home with 6 points, finishing P7.
According to The Independent, The VCARB01 driver has reportedly been handed an ultimatum by Red Bull's talent spotter Helmut Marko. Per the claims, Ricciardo's run will be under strict watch for the upcoming two races; the Japanese GP and the Chinese GP, and will serve as the base for his future with the team.
Though debutant Ayumu Iwasa will run during the FP1 session in Suzuka, Marko's words about Liam Lawson being "one of the strongest drivers ever" after his strong performance on the streets of Singapore couldn't be sidelined and might pave the way for the New Zealander if the 34-year-old fails to deliver.
