Is Liam Lawson soon to take a seat in a Red Bull car? Advisor Helmut Marko previously hinted at this possibility with his comments about the New Zealander’s future. The Austrian stated that Lawson would “definitely” be in a Red Bull vehicle next year, but according to team boss Christian Horner, Marko’s message was somewhat different.
Last season, Lawson made a big impression as a replacement for the injured Daniel Ricciardo, but has been back on the bench since his five races as a Visa RB driver. Red Bull’s option on the New Zealander is soon to expire, which means the team must find a seat for Lawson.
Red Bull Advisor’s Promise to the Racer
Red Bull advisor Marko had previously promised the racer that he would “definitely be in one of our cars next year”, but team boss Christian Horner has nuanced the Austrian’s statements. “A seat,” Horner explains to Sky Sports F1 that Marko has only promised Lawson an F1 seat. “He clearly said he will be racing in F1 next year. I asked Helmut about his earlier comment, and he said, ‘No, I didn’t say which car, I said ‘a’ seat.'”
Sauber or Mercedes?
According to Horner, it is also very possible that Lawson will work outside the Red Bull family. “We could rent him out. Nothing is certain,” says the team boss. However, Red Bull will have to hurry. Only Kick Sauber, which will continue as Audi in 2026, and Mercedes have not yet completed their line-up. This leaves not much room for Lawson outside the Red Bull family. Moreover, Mercedes has reportedly already chosen F2 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement.
