22 September 2023 , 13:49
896
0
Christian Horner is certain Liam Lawson has a bright future in Formula 1 – but his full-time career may not start next year.
The 21-year-old is about to take part in his fourth Grand Prix as he continues to fill in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo. And he has done a fine job so far, impressing in his first two AlphaTauri outings before truly announcing himself with points in Singapore.
Still, though, it looks unlikely to be enough to earn a full-time drive with the team in 2024. An announcement of a new contract for Yuki Tsunoda is imminent and could arrive at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.
It remains to be seen whether that announcement will also include news of a new deal for Ricciardo. But the expectation is that the Aussie will also be retained, leaving Lawson with just a reserve role again for 2024.
Giving his verdict on the situation, Red Bull team principal Horner was full of praise for Lawson and said he had given the team a difficult decision to make. But he also hinted that the New Zealander may have to be patient before landing a full-time gig on the grid.
Sebastian Vettel warns of looming F1 ban and is "very worried about the future"
He told reporters at Suzuka: "Very seldom do drivers get a chance to demonstrate their talent. I think he's done a tremendous job and certainly has put himself firmly on the radar and cemented the feeling that we had about him. He's made a good start to this weekend and we'll see how that continues.
"We've got a luxury problem – we've got three into two in that team. Obviously, it's an AlphaTauri issue, but it's three great drivers and it's a nice headache to have. He will be a Grand Prix driver – he already is a Grand Prix driver – at some stage. Whether he has to wait a little for that or not, then I think he's demonstrating that he is a talent for the future."
Assuming he does not get an AlphaTauri seat, Williams may still offer Lawson a chance to race in 2024. Team principal James Vowles wants to give Logan Sargeant more time to impress but, should he decide to make a change, Lawson could be in the frame to race alongside Alex Albon next year.
He said of the New Zealander: "He's been impressive in his few races. Obviously, if we wind back a bit, Logan and him were team-mates back in F2 and both finished nigh-on together in the F2 Championship. So we have a direct comparison of the two of them in that environment. What we don't have at the moment is that it's different cars, different situations.
"It's knowing how it really compares between an AlphaTauri and a Williams at this stage. Nonetheless, to keep his head in Singapore was a strong job. What will be interesting is just simply Red Bull have a number of drivers with just two seats. It'll be interesting to see where they go with their decision-making now."