Liam Lawson contract clause tipped as cause of Daniel Ricciardo’s expected axing
"Multiple sources" insist Red Bull bosses will meet to debate driver swap
A clause in Liam Lawson’s contract is reportedly at the centre of Daniel Ricciardo’s likely demotion from Formula 1.
Ricciardo knows the F1 Singapore Grand Prix might be the final race of a long career.
Red Bull have been tipped to replace him with Lawson at their sister team for the next grand prix in Austin next month.
F1.com reported: “Sources say there’s a clause in Lawson’s contract that if Red Bull didn’t offer him a race seat for next season (or find him a seat elsewhere) by a certain date – believed to be within the last five days – then he would be released.
“Multiple sources close to those involved say there is uncertainty as to what will happen next with [Helmut] Marko, [Christian] Horner, [Laurent] Mekies and RB CEO Peter Bayer expected to discuss the driver situation after Singapore and before the next race in Austin on October 20.”
The report adds that Red Bull team principal remains a Ricciardo fan but Marko is backing Lawson.
"I know how it is and how it works, and I knew there was always going to be some dates and deadlines this year,” Ricciardo admitted this weekend.
He entered 2024 hoping for a promotion into the Red Bull, instead of Sergio Perez, alongside Max Verstappen.
Now it seems that his F1 career is on the brink of ending.
Martin Brundle is among the respected voices inside the paddock claiming he’s heard that Ricciardo will be replaced by Lawson in Austin.
It will leave 35-year-old Ricciardo with nowhere to go.
The only vacant seats for 2025 are Ricciardo’s at RB, and one at Sauber.
Valtteri Bottas remains in talks to retain his Sauber seat meaning Ricciardo’s stint in F1 could end imminently.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
