Liam Lawson insists Red Bull 2025 F1 drive prospect ‘not in my mind’

Liam Lawson says the possibility of earning a Red Bull F1 seat for 2025 is “not in my mind” as he looks to secure a full-time drive.

The 22-year-old New Zealander will get an end-of-season cameo for Red Bull’s second team having replaced the axed Daniel Ricciardo for the remaining six races of the year.

Red Bull are yet to confirm who will partner Yuki Tsunoda at RB next season but Lawson is the leading candidate for the full-time drive. He also has a chance to stake a claim as a potential replacement for Sergio Perez in the senior team.

But Lawson insists he is not thinking about the prospect of driving for Red Bull just yet.

“It’s not in my mind, but I’m definitely aware that being in the second team to Red Bull Racing that the future, if I do a good job, is going to [Red Bull],” Lawson told the F1 Nation podcast.

“My goal is to go to Red Bull Racing in the future and I know from their side as well, they are trying to look for the future of Red Bull Racing for when either Max or Checo eventually go somewhere, they always need drivers to be ready for that.

“So I’m basically aware that if I do a good job, then that’s where my future is. When that can happen? That’s not something I’m really thinking about because I know it’s going to completely depend on how I go in my current seat.”

Speaking to the same podcast earlier this month, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner suggested that Lawson has an opportunity to put himself in the frame to partner Max Verstappen as early as 2025.

“This goes beyond VCARB, it encompasses Red Bull Racing,” Horner said. “Obviously we’ve got a contract with Sergio for next year, but you’ve always got to have an eye out in terms of what comes next.”

Lawson revealed what Red Bull is expecting of him in the final races of 2024.

“Basically, they’re expecting me to perform at least as well as Yuki, I would say, is what the goal is from the team. They want me to match him and basically perform. They want points,” he explained.

“Obviously, the team is fighting for sixth in the Constructors’, and that’s quite important for VCARB, so to basically score points is the goal.

“If we’re scoring points, then I think, at that point, we’re basically doing a good job. So that’s, honestly, the target that’s been set. But we’re always being evaluated.”