Liam Lawson was one of the most promising drivers to drive in F1 in 2023. Although he was not expected to drive in F1 last season, he got the opportunity to do so when Daniel Ricciardo injured his wrist in Zandvoort. Lawson stood in for Daniel for 5 races.
During these 5 races, Liam proved to be a very capable F1 driver. His best performance came in Singapore where he was able to finish P7. During that weekend, he even qualified ahead of Max Verstappen in the RB19. However, he was not able to find a seat for himself for the 2024 season. But Granz Tost thinks that he will be back on the grid soon.
Franz Tost gives timeline for Liam Lawson return to F1
With Liam Lawson not able to find a spot on the grid in 2024, fans wonder when his next F1 race will be. The New Zealander continue to be a reserve driver for Red Bull and AlphaTauri. So if an AlphaTauri driver is unable to take part in a race, Lawson will step in. If the same happens with one of the Red Bull drivers, Daniel Ricciardo will most likely drive in the Red Bull while Liam takes Daniel’s place in the AlphaTauri.
In a recent interview, the former team principal of AlphaTauri, Franz Tost was asked about Liam Lawon’s debut and when he will be back on track.
🚨 | Liam Lawson’s return to F1 is highly anticipated.
Franz Tost outlines when he expects Lawson on the grid – at the latest:https://t.co/lvEzNe6VLB
— formularacers (@formularacers_) December 25, 2023
“He wasn’t prepared for this. He just had to jump into the car.
“It was raining, he had to use full wet tyres… and he did everything without any mistake…
“He deserves a seat in Formula 1, and I expect him, at least in 2025, to be in F1.”
For the 2025 season, Sergio Perez and both the AlphaTauri drivers will be out of contract. This will give Liam Lawson a good chance to return to F1. There is no doubt that Lawson is better than a number of other drivers who are already on the grid. So it’s just a matter of time until Liam finds his way back to the grid.
Is Franz Tost hinting at a possible change in the Red Bull lineup?
If Liam Lawson is to come back to the grid in 2025, one of the current AlphaTauri or Red Bull drivers will have to lose their seat. There are a few possibilities here. We know that Max Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull until the 2028 season. So this leaves the other 3 drivers’ seats in doubt.
Yuki Tsunoda has been a solid driver for AlphaTauri in 2023. He was able to consistently put in decent performances. He was able to score multiple points and help the team finish 8th in the WCC. During the first half of the season, it seemed almost certain that they would finish last. It is doubtful that ALphaTauri will say goodbye to Yuki at the end of the 2024 season.
Daniel Ricciardo has also been a solid performer for AlphaTauri. Ricciardo replaced Nych de Vries halfway through the season. After being waived by McLaren, no one knew what to expect from the Aussie. But Daniel showed that he still has what it takes to remain in the sport. He got the team their best starting position and best finish of the 2023 season.
Do you think Daniel Ricciardo will drive for Red Bull again one day? 🤔#Ricciardo #RedBull #AlphaTauri #F1 pic.twitter.com/qm3bM40ynp
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) December 28, 2023
Sergio Perez has not been the best driver for Red Bull in 2023. Although he was able to finish 2nd in the WDC, there was a vast point and pace difference between him and Max Verstappen. This has put his seat at risk. His current contract with Red Bull will end after the 2024 season.
Out of these 3 drivers, Sergio Perez is the only one who is at risk of losing his seat. However, Red Bull is not going to put a rookie in their car. Instead, they will bring Daniel Ricciardo from AlphaTauri and give Lawson Daniel’s seat in AlphaTauri.
Given that Franz Tost thinks Liam Lawson will return to F1 in 2025, he could know something about this move. Let’s wait and see how things turn out for the Red Bull drivers.