Formula 1: How a junior driver has put Red Bull under immense pressure

Liam Lawson has been a member of the Red Bull family since 2019, and pressure is building on Helmut Marko and Christian Horner to put the Kiwi driver in either a Red Bull or RB car in Formula 1.

Lawson is reportedly in consideration to be the direct replacement for Sergio Perez if he is let go or to replace an RB driver, either Daniel Ricciardo or Yuki Tsunoda, if one is moved up to replace the Mexican.

There was an initial level of surprise when Red Bull kept Ricciardo alongside Tsunoda and kept Lawson in the same reserve role he held last season. However, the 22-year-old was viewed the number one option to replace anyone at Red Bull or RB coming into this season, and he is still viewed that way.

Pressure is building on Red Bull

Lawson’s contract with Red Bull has a clause which means that Marko and Horner must make a decision quickly. Once September hits, the Kiwi driver is set to become a free agent and can negotiate with any team that have an open seat or seats for the 2025 season.

Red Bull see the New Zealander's talent, given what he proved late last season while filling in for the injured Ricciardo in select races.

With Perez likely having two races left to save his Red Bull career, the summer break will be crucial to review all necessary data, especially considering Lawson’s filming session that happened after the recent British Grand Prix, plus a test at Imola soon. 

Helmut Marko wants Lawson to continue at Red Bull and believes he has a place in the team. Not long ago, the director of driver development said that Lawson would have another chance with the team, presumably alongside Tsunoda at RB or Verstappen at Red Bull.

With less than a month and a half until Lawson is due to become available to the entire grid, odds are his future will be decided once the summer break hits. An additional point made by Marko and Red Bull was that RB want to transition back to being a junior team again, which casts some doubt on Ricciardo's future with the organization.

It would make far more sense to put Lawson in the RB, considering the fight that seems to be taking shape for the constructor championship at the front of the pack. Easing a relatively inexperienced Lawson into a lower-pressure environment before eventually transitioning him to the main team appears to be the most logical decision.

Teams aside from Red Bull will likely be vying for Lawson’s signature if they are able to, and some could already be patiently waiting until the first day of September. As a result, Marko and Horner need to decide the fate of Perez soon if they do not want to lose their lead in the constructor championship.