Over the last few days, Liam Lawson has been strongly linked to a mid-season Williams move. James Vowles was very interested in securing his services, seeing Lawson as capable of scoring points in the FW46. However, Red Bull were reluctant to let the 22-year-old go – even for a brief ‘loan’ stint. Here’s why.
Red Bull need to have Liam Lawson on standby
More changes possible at Red Bull
The unpredictable driver situation at Red Bull is now common knowledge in F1 circles.
Although Christian Horner consistently defends Sergio Perez in interviews, it is no secret the 34-year-old’s seat is under threat.
Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda are constantly being evaluated. In the event Red Bull drops Perez, one of these drivers will be promoted.
Ricciardo is generally seen as the most likely replacement for the Mexican driver. Despite Tsunoda’s strong performances this year, Christian Horner’s preference is Ricciardo.
Assuming that Tsunoda does not blow him away in the upcoming rounds, the Australian is in a strong position.
Still, regardless of when and if Red Bull make a change, Liam Lawson stands to gain from the situation.
Despite Red Bull’s hesitance to offer Lawson a full-time contract, they are aware of his talent.
The Austrian squad wants to avoid a scenario where a rival (like Audi) can take Lawson from them before 2025.
Of course, these hypotheticals make things very complicated at Milton Keynes.
Thankfully for Lawson, Red Bull’s reluctance to send him on loan (even just for nine rounds) is evidence that a full-time contract with VCARB is on the horizon.
Understandably, Williams opted against pursuing a driver who Red Bull could be recalled at any point.
Williams shows belief in their own academy
In theory, an agreement between Williams and Red Bull could have been possible.
However, James Vowles was never going to sign a driver whose availability could not even be guaranteed for three months.
Meanwhile, Mick Schumacher was not a convincing option for Vowles. The Williams team principal then turned to his own academy.
He decided on Franco Colapinto, who is 6th in the Formula 2 standings, as the replacement for Logan Sargeant.
Considering the 21-year-old is in his rookie campaign, his performances are very impressive.
The Argentine is also ahead of Kimi Antonelli, one of the most highly-anticipated talents in recent years.
Whilst direct comparisons in Formula 2 are never easy, there is enough evidence to suggest that Colapinto can hold his own.
Williams had the opportunity to evaluate his abilities in the 2023 post-season test in Abu Dhabi. They could also observe Colapinto’s progress at Silverstone this year when he drove in FP1.
Liam Lawson was always the first option for James Vowles. Based on Lawson’s efforts last year, he was an obviously desirable option.
However, because Red Bull already have plans for him, a deal failed to materialise.
