Christian Horner may have ‘completely’ forgotten one driver in 2025 RB conversation

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RB are waiting to hear which driver they will field alongside Yuki Tsunoda in 2025. While Red Bull will value their input, it’s ultimately Christian Horner and Helmut Marko who will decide on the junior team’s line-up.

Liam Lawson is replacing Daniel Ricciardo for the final six races of 2024, but this is effectively an audition for a Red Bull drive. That’s why the team didn’t wait until the end of the season to make the change.

If Lawson beats Yuki Tsunoda, then it seems likely he’ll replace the chronically underperforming Sergio Perez in 2025. That would leave RB with another vacancy.

The standout contender to fill it would be Isack Hadjar. The 20-year-old, who drove for Red Bull in FP1 at the British Grand Prix, is battling Gabriel Bortoleto for the Formula 2 title.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Arvid Lindblad will graduate to F2 next year after finishing fourth in F3. If he impresses, he will be in line for a 2025 seat.

Helmut Marko is also an admirer of Franco Colapinto, who’s part of the Williams academy but won’t race for the team next year following the signing of Carlos Sainz. They could theoretically make a bid for his services, intensifying the competition further.

Christian Horner has snubbed Ayumu Iwasa in battle for 2025 RB seat

Speaking on the Racing News 365 podcast, journalist Sam Coop pointed out that Red Bull also have Ayumu Iwasa on their books. Coop feels that Horner has overlooked him while singing the praises of Lindblad.

Iwasa featured in an official Formula 1 session for the first time in Japan in April. His primary focus has been the Super Formula championship in his homeland.

Iwasa sits fifth in the standings with four races to go after scoring two podiums in the first five events. He previously spent two seasons in F2.

He won five races in the series, while also notching three poles and 12 podiums. Commendably, he also finished in the top five both times.

“You’ve got Arvid Lindblad, who Christian Horner is very, very hot on,” Coop said. “He keeps on mentioning how impressed he is, completely circumventing the fact you’ve got Ayumu Iwasa in the academy as well, who’s been shuffled out to Super Formula.

“There’s lots of depth there. There’s lots of guys who have proven themselves in F2.”

Christian Horner said something ‘bewildering’ about Liam Lawson after he replaced Daniel Ricciardo

Four different drivers have raced for RB since the start of last year – Tsunoda, Ricciardo, Lawson and Nyck de Vries – and the upheaval could continue. Lawson could stay with the team next year if his performances are middling rather than standout.

Equally, he could drop back off the grid if he falls below expectations. And on the flip side, Horner has confirmed that a Red Bull seat is open to him.

Alex Jacques finds Horner’s Lawson comments ‘bewildering’, with both teams steeped in uncertainty just two months before the end of the season. Seven of the other eight outfits on the grid have already confirmed their line-ups.

What’s more, Tsunoda is expected to join Aston Martin in 2026, at which point Red Bull’s agreement with Honda will come to an end. The 24-year-old has offered a measure of stability at Faenza since he joined in 2021.