Liam Lawson’s Path to Formula One: 2025 Opportunities
Image Credit: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Liam Lawson is a great driver; many expect him to be in Formula One soon. The New Zealander has done all the work necessary for an opportunity at the pinnacle of motorsport. It now depends on whether a team will take a chance on the impressive young driver. Although many key moves have already been made in the 2025 drivers' market, there are still some options for Lawson.
Team RB
Image Credit: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Team RB is the apparent choice for Lawson's destination next year. He has been part of the Red Bull driver programme throughout his career but has yet to be given a full-time opportunity by the organisation. However, Lawson did participate in a couple of races for the junior team last season, filling in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo. The young driver produced solid performances for the team, as expected. This suggests that he could thrive in a full-time role. It seems to be a decision between Lawson and Ricciardo, as the team appears to be undecided. Lawson has contributed a lot to the Red Bull setup, which means allowing him to deliver for them is only fair. Furthermore, he appears to have the potential to develop into a solid driver for Team RB and possibly Red Bull.
Red Bull
Image Credit: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Speaking of Red Bull, they could decide to promote Lawson to the senior team straight away. This is because Sergio Pérez hasn't been performing at his best recently, and rumours have started circulating that the Milton Keynes-based team is looking to replace the Mexican. Lawson would be an ideal candidate for the role, especially if it’s a mid-season switch, as he is a reserve driver for the team and therefore familiar with how they operate. Furthermore, it would be interesting to see how he copes with being put into a top car immediately. The situation would genuinely be a sink-or-swim moment because it would give Red Bull an answer as to whether he is a potential teammate for Max Verstappen in the future.
Sauber
Image Credit: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
If Red Bull decides that giving Lawson the seat is not the right move, a couple of teams would be interested in his services for 2025. One of those teams is Sauber. The Swiss-based team has a lot of hype surrounding it when talking about the years to come. This is because Audi will be taking over in 2026. Sauber has already made one driver move with Nico Hülkenberg from Haas. However, one could argue that Hülkenberg is not a driver with a long-term future in F1 due to his age. A driver like Lawson could be appealing because he could develop alongside the team and be in the sport for many years.
Lawson is a great driver, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up.
Do you love sport? Checkout the rest of Expansive Sports we cover sports like rugby, football, and motorsport. If you fancy it, give us a follow on X, Instagram, and TikTok.