Formula 1: New Red Bull favorite to replace Sergio Perez in 2025?

Despite Liam Lawson’s superb performance while filling for Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri, he is without a seat for the 2024 Formula 1 season.

As he looks to become the primary reserve driver for Red Bull during the 2024 Formula 1 season, Liam Lawson will definitely be looking to replace Sergio Perez in 2025 and beyond. The likelihood of that happening keeps increasing as the Mexican driver’s rough season only gets rougher.

Perez opened the season seeming like a contender to battle with Max Verstappen for the world championship. But things started to fall apart as the disparity between the drivers only grew more prominent, with Verstappen reeling off 12 wins in 13 races during a stretch when Perez went winless with only three runner-up results.

The Dutchman has remained as dominant as ever while Perez’s performances have become ridden with mistakes. His performance is clearly not the “Red Bull standard”, despite his P2 position in the driver standings, and his recent form only gives the team more of a reason to let him go once his contract expires at the end of the 2024 season.

In light of that, the emergence of Liam Lawson in quite a strong capacity has led many to believe that Red Bull will be preparing him throughout 2024 to be Verstappen’s teammate in 2025. Lawson has replaced the injured Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull sister team AlphaTauri for five races.

Lawson’s composure and consistent performances, given the circumstances, has shown that he is a great fit to be a full-time Formula 1 driver.

Additionally, Red Bull have not been able to find a second driver who is capable of staying with the team in a longer capacity. Their driver academy has not been that impactful over the last decade, but Lawson can very well be the one to change things.

However, there will definitely be some competition for Perez’s open seat for the 2025 season. Many already know that Ricciardo has his sights on being Verstappen’s teammate once again, which may put Lawson at a disadvantage, considering the fact that the Ricciardo is actually set to drive for AlphaTauri next season.

But all things considered, Lawson seems like an ideal fit for Red Bull, given his performance at AlphaTauri after being thrust into a full-time position because of Ricciardo’s injury.

When the time comes for Red Bull to pick Verstappen’s teammate for 2025, it will largely depend on both how well Ricciardo does next year and Lawson’s general readiness in his reserve role throughout the season.