Lawson focused on F1 future over Red Bull seat speculation
Liam Lawson, the 22-year-old New Zealander, has downplayed the notion that his remaining five races for Red Bull Racing in 2024 are an audition for a seat at the top team. Lawson, who recently returned to the grid in place of Daniel Ricciardo, emphasized that his primary objective is to secure his place in Formula 1 rather than angling for a spot at Red Bull next season.
Despite starting from the back of the grid due to engine penalties, Lawson made a notable comeback by scoring points with a P9 finish in Austin. This result has fueled ongoing discussions about Red Bull's future driver line-ups, particularly the coveted spot as Max Verstappen’s teammate in 2025. When asked ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix if the competition is between himself, fellow RB driver Yuki Tsunoda, and incumbent Sergio Perez, Lawson remained pragmatic.
“Honestly, I have absolutely no idea,” Lawson said. “My goal obviously is to... I’ve been with Red Bull now for six years, and it would be my absolute goal to drive with them in the future. But whether that’s next year or any other year, I have no idea when that could be.
"And for me, it’s about these races. I know I have five left – very, very important races – to have a seat in Formula 1, and honestly I’m not looking at it any way like it’s five races to get a Red Bull seat or something like that.
“It’s not like that for me; it’s just five races to do a job to try and stay in Formula 1.”
Reflecting on his performance in Austin, which exceeded expectations, Lawson acknowledged the learning curve he faces. "I think there’s always more to come, the more time I spend in the car," he noted. "But I don’t expect it to just happen every weekend, to improve. The track we’re at now, Mexico’s a very different style of circuit to Austin. We learned some great things in Austin, and obviously for me, getting used to the car, I learned a huge deal.
"But in a way, we start back from zero a little bit at each track we go to. A lot of them are new tracks I’ve never driven before, and with the style of circuit here, it's totally different from Austin. I don’t expect to come in and just carry on that form; I think we’re going to be doing a lot of learning again on Friday.”
When asked about what Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko said following his positive performance in Austin, Lawson shared: “He said ‘good job’, it was a good race, and that’s basically what I got, which is more or less how it’s always been. I know what their expectations are of me; I don’t need them to tell me that. I know what they’re expecting me to do in the car, and with the situation we’re in right now fighting for sixth in the constructors’ [championship] – everybody’s goal right now is to get that across the line, and I know that’s what they’re expecting of me as well.”
As the season progresses, Lawson remains focused on his immediate tasks, underscoring a broad ambition to remain in Formula 1 beyond the next five races.
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