Newly-appointed F1 team boss could restart 2025 talks with five-time F2 race winner

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Liam Lawson is yet to get the Formula 1 opportunity that his performances as a stand-in for Daniel Ricciardo in 2023 warranted.

The Kiwi scored points for AlphaTauri in Singapore, despite not having much time to get used to their machinery after being chucked in at late notice during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend.

Sadly, Lawson missed out on getting a full-time drive for this season as Ricciardo was retained by the Italian outfit and has been waiting in the wings for another opportunity ever since.

Red Bull have two seats to hand out for 2025 and three drivers to put in them, which means someone is going to be left out and it could even be Sergio Perez losing his seat.

Liam Lawson could join Sauber in 2025 after Audi hired Jonathan Wheatley

Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley recently signed to be Audi’s team principal from next season in the team’s last year as Sauber.

He knows Lawson’s skillset very well, and will be knowledgeable as to whether the Kiwi would be a good fit at his new team alongside incoming driver Nico Hulkenberg.

According to Motorsport.com, the previous leadership group at Audi, which included Andreas Seidl, already showed interest in Lawson but it fizzled out after the management changes.

Of course, that would be nothing permanent since Red Bull would quite like to keep their talents contractually tied to them.

Anthony Davidson believes Lawson has been promised a 2025 Formula 1 drive already, but with Visa Cash App RB or Red Bull.

Helmut Marko’s words before the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix also suggested that this might be the case, but didn’t state that Lawson is guaranteed to drive within the Red Bull family.

Where could Lawson fit in within the Red Bull family?

Both Perez and Ricciardo are at threat of losing their seats with their respective teams for 2025, despite Ricciardo being considered for a Red Bull drive at stages this year.

Perez has a contract which should see him through at least the end of 2025, while Ricciardo is yet to convince his bosses that he is capable of performing at a high level consistently still.

Lawson’s work in the Red Bull simulator will mean that he has some sort of familiarity with the senior team. But a promotion so soon to partner Max Verstappen could face him with a brutal reality.

The Dutchman shows his teammates no mercy, and is part of the reason why Red Bull have failed to find a good replacement for Ricciardo since he left them in 2018.

Isack Hadjar is also in the picture if he can continue his form in Formula 2, and could take Ricciardo’s seat at RB if Perez is replaced at Red Bull by Lawson.

But that seems like the most unlikely scenario, with Lawson bedding in at Visa Cash App RB – a team he raced for before – seemingly the most suitable option.

Hadjar is in contention for a seat on the Formula 1 grid with the Frenchman leading the F2 standings so far this year after taking three wins to date. Lawson won five races over two seasons in the feeder series in 2021 and 2022.