The entire motorsport community looked absolutely dejected when Daniel Ricciardo made a long painful walk back to the medical center after driving his AlphaTauri into the barriers at Zandvoort. The groans and moans only grew louder when Red Bull acknowledged significant injuries to the Australian’s hand.
However, little did the people know that Ricciardo’s unfortunate setback was nothing short of a blessing in disguise for the not-so-famous New Zealander and Red Bull junior, Liam Lawson. The ex-Carlin driver, who secured an incredible P3 in the F2 championship last year, earned a golden opportunity to compete in Formula 1, and of course, the Kiwi was never going to decline the offer.
What followed was an astonishing racecraft that left the entire F1 fandom in awe. Lawson exceeded the expectations of almost everyone, including the big shots of Red Bull Racing. Thanks to Ricciardo’s slow recovery, Lawson managed to compete in not one, but four consecutive race weekends one of which even earned him his first-ever points in F1.
Hence, after having witnessed such a short-burst show of insane racing, Christian Horner made a shocking revelation to the public regarding the future of Lawson in F1. Right when Red Bull is busy seeking an answer for Sergio Perez, Horner admitted that Lawson will soon return to the F1 grid, potentially succeeding an AlphaTauri, or even replacing Perez at Red Bull.
Is Liam Lawson next in line for Red Bull?
Christian Horner admitted that Lawson now has the attention of Red Bull after delivering strong results over his brief rookie stint. “He’s caught all our attention in terms of the job that he’s done. It certainly won’t be his last race in F1. I’m sure that with what he’s done in these 5 races, he’s demonstrated that he deserves an opportunity in the future,” the Red Bull F1 team principal said.
🚨 Horner says Qatar will not be Lawson’s last race in F1
“He’s caught all our attention in terms of the job that he’s done. It certainly won’t be his last race in F1. I’m sure that with what he’s done in these 5 races, he’s demonstrated that he deserves an opportunity in the… pic.twitter.com/SKeR6eFrYE
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) October 13, 2023
Now, the big question is, when and where will Lawson be racing next? Of course, Helmut Marko recently acknowledged planning to stick with Perez for the 2024 season. However, the last couple of races have led to a massive reconsideration among the defending world champions.
With McLaren inching closer and Mercedes hinting at a massive turnaround in 2024, Red Bull might need a second driver strong enough to challenge the rest of the grid. Therefore, will Horner break Perez’s contract and bring a far more experienced Ricciardo into the team? Or, will Lawson embrace the big jump to Red Bull?