04 October 2023 , 19:05
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Johnny Herbert feels Red Bull missed a trick by ignoring Liam Lawson's fine form to hand Daniel Ricciardo a contract extension.
The Aussie has been on the sidelines after breaking a bone in his left hand at the end of August. But that did not stop him from being handed a contract extension by AlphaTauri.
Yuki Tsunoda was also given a renewal. That meant, despite Lawson's impressive performances and results while filling in for Ricciardo, he will continue to be reserve driver to both Red Bull and AlphaTauri next year.
Former F1 racer and Sky Sports pundit Herbert questioned that decision to leave the New Zealander out in the cold. "I'm impressed with what I've seen from Liam Lawson because, in a very short space of time, he has been able to adjust to the bubble of F1," he wrote for Motor Sport magazine.
"What I like is that ability to jump in and do the job straight away. It's actually a rare thing when someone gets a hold of a car and does what we actually expect of them. Lawson has shown speed when there's pressure because he’s been racing to prove he’s worthy of keeping the drive. He hasn't had the luxury of time to settle in.
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“In Singapore, at what most drivers say is the most difficult track on the calendar both physically and mentally, he was very impressive and scored his first points in his third Grand Prix.
"Team-mate Yuki Tsunoda has done a good job too – but I feel Liam already has taken control at AlphaTauri. For me, he earned a seat for 2024. I don't agree with the decision of AlphaTauri to bring Daniel Ricciardo back for next year. Is he the future? No – Liam is the future."
Despite some reports that Lawson is guaranteed a 2025 seat, it remains too early to be making such solid commitments. Mirror Sport understands, however, that the New Zealander is highly regarded among the top brass at Red Bull will be a strong contender for an AlphaTauri drive at the next opportunity.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said last week: "There are no guarantees of anything in life. He's done a great job – he's really impressed us. He's done exactly what we could have asked for in terms of grabbing the opportunity in Daniel's absence to really show his capability.
"That's turned some heads and it's done him a lot of good. We'll keep developing him when he goes back into that test and reserve role and he'll be a candidate, certainly, for 2025."