Despite resisting the temptation to replace Sergio Perez during the summer break, Red Bull are evaluating alternatives for 2025. Christian Horner has emphasised that Red Bull must assemble the strongest driver line-up possible next season – with Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda set to be heavily scrutinised. That said, it is understood that Horner is more enthusiastic about Lawson than he is about Tsunoda.
Liam Lawson has advantage over Tsunoda in fight for Red Bull seat
For most of this season, speculation has persistently followed Red Bull. Daniel Ricciardo’s fate, for example, was heavily discussed in the build-up to the Singapore GP.
The decision to replace Ricciardo with Liam Lawson, though certainly controversial, is a statement of intent for Red Bull’s future ambitions.
Although Perez has a multi-year contract with the team, his position with is far from secure. Both Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have eluded to the fact a driver change for 2025 is on the cards.
In fact, Helmut Marko has stated quite clearly that a young driver – either Tsunoda or Lawson – will drive alongside Max Verstappen next year.
A similar sentiment has been echoed by Christian Horner, albeit in a far more diplomatic fashion. The Red Bull team principal is eager to assess Liam Lawson in the coming weeks, describing the Kiwi as a candidate for promotion next season.
Christian Horner eager to asses Lawson’s progress
Heading into this weekend’s American GP, the consensus is that Lawson held in higher regard than Tsunoda within the team.
To be clear, this is not to suggest Tsunoda is out of contention for a Red Bull seat. The Japanese driver has an opportunity – for the third time since 2023 – to outperform a teammate put alongside him.
After dispatching of De Vries and Ricciardo, the 24-year-old is certainly on Red Bull’s shortlist. With that said, it is well established that Helmut Marko is more enthusiastic about Tsunoda than Christian Horner is.
Considering that Marko’s influence at Red Bull has steadily declined, this puts Liam Lawson at an advantage.
Should the VCARB duo perform at a similar level, the Kiwi is more likely to be promoted. Then again, with just 6 rounds to go, one or two strong performances could be enough to tip the scale.
This can also be said for Sergio Perez, who could protect his position with strong results. However, based on the last two seasons, the 34-year-old is on very thin ice.
The question is whether Red Bull are willing to pull the trigger and put their trust in ither Lawson or Tsunoda.
