Liam Lawson says he’s been informed to match Yuki Tsunoda to safe himself a full-time seat in System 1 in 2025.
Pink Bull made the choice to drop Daniel Ricciardo for the remainder of this season and substitute him with Lawson at RB, with the New Zealander making his first begin of the 12 months this weekend at the US Grand Prix. Lawson says the dedication is just for the remaining six races to date, and that he nonetheless has to earn the spot alongside Tsunoda subsequent season.
“It’s fairly easy,” Lawson informed RACER. “The form of goal that was set is to mainly carry out within the seat. They need me to clearly match Yuki, and that’ll give me my greatest shot at having a seat subsequent 12 months, however it’s at all times being evaluated.
“They may even say that you simply’re going to be racing subsequent 12 months, but when I don’t do a great job subsequent 12 months, then clearly they’re not going to place me within the automobile. And it’s at all times simply going to be like that.”
Lawson impressed throughout 5 races standing in for the injured Ricciardo final 12 months, and he doesn’t really feel any added stress on account of elevated expectations following these outings.
“It’s positively not how I have a look at it,” he stated. “Even when you’re an skilled driver, even when you’ve had an important season, when you go into a brand new season — even a brand new race weekend — we’re all very short-sighted on these items. And when you’ve got an important race weekend, that’s fantastic, however you mainly begin once more subsequent time, and we’re at all times being evaluated.
“It’s at all times going to be like that, regardless if it’s my first six races, or if I’m 5 seasons in and I’m going into one other season. In case you’re not doing a great job, then you definately’re going to be judged — by the group particularly — by your efficiency.
“It’s the identical as final 12 months. The one distinction is I at the very least know that I’m getting the six [starts]. Final 12 months, I didn’t know what number of I used to be going to do. However it’s all performance-based, and it at all times can be. So I assume the earlier I understand and settle for that, the higher off I’ll be.”
Whereas Lawson is clearly the frontrunner for a full-time seat in 2025 – group principal Christian Horner even hinted he may very well be within the body for a Pink Bull drive if required – there are additionally choices within the Pink Bull junior ranks rising in the direction of F1, with Isack Hadjar the most certainly various. The French driver is at present second within the System 2 standings, 4.5 factors off the lead, and has accomplished three FP1 outings already.
