Helmut Marko responds after Red Bull driver issued ultimatum following Sergio Perez deal
Helmut Marko and Red Bull are facing some difficult decisions after handing Sergio Perez a new contract.
Helmut Marko has acknowledged the existence of a release clause in Liam Lawson’s contract after the Red Bull junior driver suggested that he would have to look elsewhere if he isn’t promised a drive with VCARB in 2025.
Lawson turned heads with his substitute performances in 2023, replacing Daniel Ricciardo for five races after the Aussie broke his hand during free practice at the Dutch Grand Prix. After scoring points in Singapore and battling hard with team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, his stock rose exponentially.
However, looking ahead to the 2025 season, the New Zealander remains without a seat on the grid. Despite lacklustre performances from Ricciardo, the eight-time Grand Prix winner retains support from Christian Horner and with Tsunoda undroppable following a sensational start to 2024, Lawson’s future looks complicated.
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Speaking ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, Lawson laid down an ultimatum and said: “I have no idea – everything is changing at the moment. There are a lot of drivers moving around. At the moment, I don’t really know where I slot into that, or if I do at all. It’s something that I’m working towards every day at the moment.
“I would love to be with Red Bull in F1. They are the strongest team at the moment. I’ve been with them now, this is my sixth year. If I could choose, I would love to be with Red Bull. But obviously, if there’s no seat there, my goal is F1. So that could be anywhere.
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“It’s talked about a lot, it’s being managed. I’m always trying to work on trying to find out where I’m sitting within the team for my future. I don’t want to be in F1 because someone is injured. I want to be in F1 because a team chooses for me to be there full-time.”
Addressing the situation at VCARB in 2025 with Kleine Zeitung, Marko confirmed Tsunoda’s presence in Faenza next year, before touching on Lawson’s future. He said: “He is there at every race and we are in close contact. There is a clause with Lawson. If we don't offer him an active seat, he is free for other teams.”
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If Lawson is forced to look elsewhere then his potential options for a seat on the 2025 grid are limited. Sauber, Haas and Williams are the most logical possible destinations for the New Zealander, although with experienced heads such as Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz all on the market, there are compelling alternatives for teams to investigate.
