Lawson reveals he’ll know about his future ‘next week’ as he claims he ‘feels ready’ to drive for Red Bull

RB driver Liam Lawson is not currently under contract with any team for next season, but has provided a deadline of “next week” for news about his next steps amid reports that he could be a contender for the second Red Bull seat.

The New Zealander has acted as a reserve driver for Red Bull and RB since 2022, getting the opportunity to take part in two separate stints for the latter – his first came when Daniel Ricciardo broke his hand last season, with the second taking place when he replaced the Australian full-time following this year’s Singapore Grand Prix.

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With an impressive junior career under his belt, Lawson has undoubtedly made an impact on his return to Formula 1, notably clashing with Sergio Perez in Mexico and scoring points on two occasions this season.

His performances have kept him in contention for a potential promotion to Red Bull as Perez’s future at the team has been repeatedly thrown into doubt despite him signing a contract for 2025 earlier this year.

Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez of Mexico battle for position during the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 27, 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) — Lawson and Perez had a fierce battle in Mexico

Questioned ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix over whether he knows when he will get the chance to race in the sport again, Lawson said: “I don’t, not right now. I think next week would be a time I’d expect to have some information but I would say definitely not before the weekend.

“What I’m focused on is having a seat. This weekend is my last chance to show that, and why I feel like I should be here. For the rest, it’s up to the team to decide where I should go.

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“I feel like I made the most of each opportunity but I definitely didn’t execute everything perfectly, and there’s stuff that I’ll learn from reflecting on these races.

“I would say I definitely tried and gave my best at every opportunity. Every decision, whatever I did at the time felt like the best thing for me to do, but obviously you never do the perfect race.”

Liam Lawson of Visa Cash App RB talks to the media during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 05, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Peter Fox - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) — The RB seat is the only vacancy on the 2025 grid

The 22-year-old has been relatively close to Tsunoda across the last handful of races, although the Japanese driver has outqualified him on all but two occasions, and scored double the number of points Lawson has.

Nevertheless, he appeared confident that he was prepared to make the step up to the Milton Keynes outfit, explaining: “I do feel like if the opportunity one day came to go to Red Bull, I feel ready for it.

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“I think I would relish the opportunity to go up against [Max Verstappen] if I ever got that opportunity. You get to learn from the best guy.

“You get access to everything he’s doing, to all of his data. To have that for every single session, for me, would be the most exciting part about that opportunity. So yes, I’d say I feel ready.”