29 September 2023 , 05:00
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Eddie Jordan thinks Red Bull should consider promoting reserve driver Liam Lawson to race alongside Max Verstappen in 2025.
Sergio Perez currently holds the seat next to the Dutchman, but he has struggled this season to the point that his future has been heavily questioned, especially as his contract expires at the end of 2024. And Red Bull will have no shortage of options for the following season.
Team principal Christian Horner has already said there has been "quite a bit of interest" from F1 drivers over the potential opening. And former F1 team owner Jordan thinks Lawson, who was overlooked for an AlphaTauri seat next season despite his impressive start to life in the sport, should be a strong candidate.
"Lawson finishing 11th – and he just keeps doing it – in a car that really shouldn’t be there, scoring points in Singapore, and he's on the case all the time," the Irishman said on his Formula For Success podcast.
"Lawson deserves a chance in Formula 1, you can only win the championship with one driver. And, in my opinion, if you are going to change Checo [Perez], I would change them for somebody absolutely new who has a really bright future.
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"I think Lawson because it's the same kind of feeder team, isn't it? Where [Sebastian] Vettel came from and Lawson has that ability. I think he, either next year or the year after, should wind up in Red Bull."
Jordan also said on the same podcast: "Put Lawson in the car. Take that chance, because you have a chance of making another Vettel. It's really difficult to see how Daniel [Ricciardo] is going to do that... Don't lose Lawson, though, I think he is really good."
Failing that, Jordan has another young hotshot in mind who he thinks Red Bull should be monitoring closely. And he said he had been given a tip-off about the talents of Oscar Piastri long before the Aussie ever reached F1.
He said: "I think I had, like normally, inside information. Way back in the late '80s with Johnny Herbert, he was managed by Mark Webber's wife, Ann, and had that relationship and understood Ann. I thought she was probably the best, the most professional manager of any sportsperson that I came across.
"So Ann did tip me off, she said, 'Listen, I have to tell you, this guy is the real deal'. And I think he is the real deal – full marks to McLaren, they've signed him 'til '26 because they needed to, because he will be a very sought-after driver. If I was in Red Bull, and I was thinking of replacing Checo, he'd be the one I'd have in my mind."