INSTAGRAM | @liamlawson30

BAD NEWS FOR FANS of the always-smiling Daniel Ricciardo, after a string of lacklustre performances and an all-around uninspiring season, it looks like the Honey Badger’s time in Formula 1 is up. Nothing is confirmed, but rumours have been swirling that Ricciardo has raced his last race with RB at the Singapore Grand Prix. Ricciardo himself seems to believe that this is the case, appearing visibly emotional in a post-race interview.

“A lot of emotions, because – look I’m aware it could be it,” Ricciardo said. “I have to acknowledge it’s obviously been a little bit of a race-by-race situation and I would obviously have loved the weekend to have gone better. It didn’t, so I have to be prepared for this maybe being it. Let’s say I’m at peace with it. At some point it will come for all of us.”

So, with a seat about to be left vacant, who will be taking Ricciardo’s place? In all likelihood, it will be Ricciardo’s very own neighbour from across the ditch, New Zealander and Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson. The 22-year-old is a highly touted future star who has been waiting in the wings for some time now, having already impressed in his F1 debut last season.

New Zealand’s flag doesn’t appear often on the F1 grid. In fact, Lawson is one of only two drivers New Zealand-born drivers to start an F1 race in the last 30 years. So, is this plucky Kiwi really worth all the hype? Does he deserve to take the place of an eight-time race winner? Let’s get to know F1’s next potential star.

Who is Liam Lawson?

A native of Hastings, New Zealand, Liam Lawson has been working his way up the ranks at Red Bull since 2019, but has previously been overlooked for a spot on the F1 grid. Lawson first garnered attention in karting, which he began at just seven years of age, and has been on the rise since.

In 2021, Lawson narrowly missed out on winning the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in the last round. In 2022, he finished third in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, and in 2023 he became Red Bull’s reserve driver, briefly filling in for Ricciardo when the Australian was out of action.

Many thought that Lawson had flashed enough potential to earn a permanent spot on the F1 grid to start the 2024 season at Red Bull’s sister team RB, but he was overlooked in favour of a Yuki Tsunoda-Daniel Ricciardo pairing – and Lawson was royally ticked off about it, voicing his displeasure in an episode of Drive To Survive, “It’s tough knowing that I don’t get the seat even though I’ve beaten a guy that’s getting a seat. I don’t know how to f***ing answer that honestly because it’s meant to be me.”

Now it looks like Lawson will get his chance.

INSTAGRAM | @liamlawson30

Has Liam Lawson raced in F1 before?

If Liam Lawson does take Ricciardo’s place, it won’t be the New Zealander’s first time in F1. Lawson made his F1 debut at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, filling in for Ricciardo, who was out with a wrist injury. Lawson took part in five races during the 2023 season and even finished ninth at the Singapore Grand Prix to claim the first points of his career. Lawson’s average placing was 12.2, while Ricciardo’s average finish this season has been 12.75. Clearly, RB thinks it can get better results from Lawson, however small.

Is Liam Lawson a future star?

Lawson is yet to be named as Ricciardo’s replacement, but that announcement now seems imminent. If Lawson isn’t given Ricciardo’s spot, don’t be surprised if he leaves the Red Bull tent altogether, as he is a highly sought-after talent and would have little trouble finding a job with another team.

Presumably, Lawson will be given Ricciardo’s seat and will take a full-time spot with RB for the 2025 F1 season. There’s room for upward mobility there, too. RB, as Red Bull’s sister team, is essentially a proving ground and talent factory for young, Red Bull-contracted drivers. After gaining experience with RB, it’s highly possible that Lawson could eventually sign with F1’s top constructor, Red Bull. He probably won’t unseat Max Verstappen for his seat, but the Dutchman’s future with the team isn’t guaranteed. Plus, Red Bull’s other driver Sergio Perez has had an abysmal season. Despite the Mexican driver signing a two year contract extension earlier this year, he’s been under fire for what feels like forever, and Red Bull could easily demote him to RB while promoting Lawson.

In short, Lawson’s future in F1 is in his own hands. He’ll get his chance with RB, and if he performs well (which we believe he can), there’s scope for him to be promoted to Red Bull.

What happens to Daniel Ricciardo now?

Ricciardo hasn’t officially been dismissed by RB, but that reality now seems inevitable. If he is dropped, Ricciardo will remain contracted to Red Bull for the rest of 2024 and will likely serve as the backup driver for both Red Bull and RB. Beyond this season, Red Bull has an option to extend Ricciardo’s contract for another season, but it isn’t clear where both parties stand on that. Red Bull might prefer to place a younger prospect in a position where they can gain valuable experience as a reserve rather than keeping the aging Ricciardo on the payroll. Besides, at 35, Ricciardo may not want to be the backup to the guy who’s taken his job. A switch to another open-wheeled racing format like IndyCar also seems unlikely this late in his career. If he is sacked, there’s a good chance that Ricciardo will simply retire from racing altogether.

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