As the F1 circus heads to this weekend’s Brazilian GP, there is more scrutiny than ever on Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda. All three drivers are competing for a Red Bull promotion – though the evidence suggests that Lawson is leading the race.
Red Bull pleased with early Liam Lawson results
In just two races, Lawson has generated his fair share of F1 headlines. The 22-year-old showed impressive pace to climb the field in COTA and finish in 9th – immediately impressing the Red Bull hierarchy.
The Kiwi also engaged in some intense wheel-to-wheel battles with Fernando Alonso, earning him some criticism from the Double World Champion.
Lawson’s shenanigans did not end in Texas, as he found himself coming to blows with Sergio Perez at the Mexico GP.
Although Red Bull were not thrilled with his aggressive driving in Mexico city, Lawson’s speed was clear.
Regardless of his messy Perez duel, the 22-year-old is meeting the expectations set by Christian Horner and Helmut Marko.
“Liam Lawson came back very strongly in the USA and finished ninth,” Helmut Marko wrote on Speedweek.
“And I was also impressed by how he steadily improved in Mexico.
“Without the botched lap by Tsunoda, the New Zealander would have finished in the top ten in qualifying.
“So far, Liam Lawson has proven his qualities and confirmed the trust placed in him.”
Big decisions are imminent
The three-week break after Sunday’s Brazilian GP will be a crucial period for Liam Lawson.
Red Bull have already refused to make guarantees about Sergio Perez’s future – with his results rapidly chipping away at the team’s patience.
Ferrari and McLaren are likely beyond reach in this year’s constructors’ battle, largely thanks to the 200-point gap between Verstappen and Perez.
To have a chance of fighting for the teams’ Championship, Christian Horner has admitted a stronger driver line-up is necessary.
Lawson represents a relatively straight-forward option for the defending Champions.
Considering their doubts and trepidations about promoting Tsunoda, the Kiwi remains the favourite to become Max Verstappen’s teammate.
However, with Lawson joining VCARB so late in the season, Red Bull only have a small sample size to analyse.
This means that every race, including this weekend’s action at Interlagos, could change their calculations for 2025.
As ever, the dynamics at the Austrian squad are prone to evolving over the next few weeks.
Christian Horner’s confirmation that Franco Colapinto is on the team’s radar serves as a reminder that Red Bull are considering all potential scenarios.
