Liam Lawson shares what he’s been told he needs to do to earn a 2025 Formula 1 contract

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RB driver Liam Lawson is the latest driver to have the eyes of the world upon him as Red Bull make yet another mid-season driver change.

A year after Daniel Ricciardo was parachuted into the AlphaTauri team to replace Nyck de Vries, he’s been moved on.

Liam Lawson is the beneficiary on this occasion, but nothing is set in stone for beyond the end of this year.

Even Red Bull’s contracted drivers are fighting for their seats in 2025.

Helmut Marko has offered Yuki Tsunoda an unlikely Red Bull lifeline for next season.

That’s because Sergio Perez continues to underwhelm despite Red Bull handing him a contract for 2025 – and potentially 2026 – as far back as the Canadian Grand Prix.

Lawson has been touted as a potential replacement for Perez as well should his RB audition go well.

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However, in a conversation with the F1 Nation Podcast, Lawson was unwilling to go as far as to say that he was trying to break straight into the Red Bull team.

Instead, the 22-year-old shared what he had been told by RB he needed to do to be offered a contract for next year.

That’s got to be the aim for Lawson after nine months of waiting in the garage for either RB driver to be moved on to get his chance.

If after the next six races, he hasn’t done enough to stay on the grid in 2025, then Red Bull are left in an even more difficult position.

What Red Bull have told Liam Lawson to do to earn a 2025 F1 race seat

Asked what’s expected of him between now and the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi, Lawson said: “Basically, they’re expecting me to perform at least as well as Yuki, I would say [that] is what the goal is from the team.

“They want me to match him and basically perform, they want points.

“Obviously, the team is fighting for six in the Constructors, and that’s quite important for V-CARB.

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“So, to basically score points is the goal. And if we’re scoring points, then I think at that point, we’re basically doing a good job.

“So, honestly, that’s the target that’s been set. But we’re always being evaluated. It’s been like this since I was 16, joining with Red Bull.

“It’s always performance-based, always under evaluation, so it’s no different really to how it’s always been.”

Red Bull’s best option to replace Liam Lawson if he underperforms might not be in their junior team

It would be unfair to say that Red Bull are running out of drivers they could promote if Lawson’s not up to the required level this season.

Isack Hadjar could still win the Formula 2 championship and Christian Horner is very excited about F3 star Arvid Lindblad.

However, aside from Tsunoda’s ability to hang around at RB, none of their other junior drivers have done enough to persuade Horner and Marko to promote them alongside Perez.

One driver who doesn’t have a seat for 2025 who is impressing this year is Franco Colapinto.

Colapinto is seen as the ideal Marko driver and Williams team principal James Vowles is open to loaning Colapinto out for next year.

The young Argentinian would offer Red Bull a fresh option and has proven he’s competitive in a midfield car.

That might be exactly what RB need going forward if Lawson does end up earning an immediate promotion into the Red Bull team.