Formula 1: Red Bull driver change confirmed for 2025 season
As a seasoned F1 enthusiast with decades of races under my belt, I must say, the rumblings in the paddock have never sounded so exciting! The prospect of Liam Lawson donning the Red Bull overalls next year is not just intriguing; it’s downright electrifying!
Before the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort this weekend, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Dr. Helmut Marko revealed to the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung that there will be a driver swap within the team for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Though he declined to name specifics of the change, he confirmed that reserve driver Liam Lawson is set for a full-time promotion next year.
A 22-year-old New Zealander came third in the 2022 Formula 2 championship with four victories to his name. Notably, he performed admirably when he temporarily filled in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull’s sister team (then called AlphaTauri) towards the end of the 2023 season. In the four races where he and his teammate Yuki Tsunoda both participated, he finished higher on three occasions.
The confirmation arrives while there’s chatter about potential changes in the team lineup: Whispers suggest that Sergio Perez, whose deal with the top team runs until 2026, might not remain after the 2024 season. Additionally, speculation circulates that Daniel Ricciardo, who becomes a free agent at year’s end, could be replaced by another driver at RB alongside Tsunoda.
In September, there will be a decision. Next year [Liam Lawson] will definitely be driving one of our cars.
As previously mentioned, Red Bull had set a deadline for making a decision about Lawson in September. With the four-week summer break wrapping up this weekend, that deadline is quickly approaching.
Speculation persists about a potential move for three-time world champion and current front-runner Max Verstappen, who’s contractually bound to Red Bull till 2028. However, it seems he might not switch teams before 2026 at the very least.
Liam Lawson: Red Bull or RB for 2025?
Marko’s announcement makes it clear that there will be a new driver for Red Bull next year, which could mean that either Perez or Ricciardo (or maybe even both) won’t be part of the team anymore. It’s already known that Yuki Tsunoda is returning to Red Bull.
If Perez and Ricciardo are both let go for the next season, it could provide an opportunity for Red Bull to bring in another change by elevating junior driver and current Formula 2 leader Isack Hadjar to one of their teams. This potential promotion would likely put Hadjar in the RB team alongside Tsunoda, thereby displacing Perez at Red Bull, with Lawson taking his place.
It’s possible that Ricciardo might take Perez’s place, leaving the door open for Lawson to join RB even if Perez remains. However, it seems certain that Ricciardo will not rejoin RB in 2025.
In 2025, Lawson will join the racing grid, which implies that we’ll have at least four newcomers filling up the 20 spots for the following year, and it’s possible that more rookies could follow suit.
1. Oliver Bearman will likely be part of the Haas team, filling the spot left by Nico Hulkenberg.
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2024-08-24 13:32