Liam Lawson made his first waves in F1 halfway through 2023, as a last-minute substitute for the injured Daniel Ricciardo. Almost exactly one year later, another unexpected mid-season opportunity has presented itself. Williams are considering Lawson as a replacement for Logan Sargeant, with James Vowles looking for alternatives to the American.
Liam Lawson in the mix for a brief Williams stint
Of course, Lawson’s long-term prospects are still with Red Bull. Even though Red Bull opted against giving Lawson a seat this season, they still see him as part of their future plans.
Predicting Red Bull’s driver selections is never easy, but it seems clear that Lawson will be on the grid next season. Christian Horner clarified earlier this week that his team is open to loaning the Kiwi – but he will remain a Red Bull driver.
Because of this, the reigning champions are open to giving Lawson more F1 experience at Williams. In many ways, the 22-year-old is uniquely prepared to join Williams mid-season.
As mentioned previously, made his F1 debut in similar circumstances last year – even managing points before Ricciardo returned. From a pure performance perspective, Lawson could be an asset for James Vowles in what remains of 2024.
Mick Schumacher also in contention
However, the logistics behind Lawson going “on loan” to Williams could be slightly complicated.
Mercedes, who supply Williams with their engines, might prefer the Grove-based team to give one of their drivers an opportunity.
Mick Schumacher, who is still a Mercedes reserve driver, is widely seen as Toto Wolff’s preference in these circumstances. Wolff and Schumacher have a good relationship, with the Mercedes team principal previously making efforts to get the German back into F1.
For several reasons, securing a Williams seat for the rest of 2024 would be hugely beneficial. Schumacher could still be an outside contender to join Audi next year, who continue to assess their driver shortlist.
In this context, it could be trickier for Red Bull to put Liam Lawson into any vacant seat. With that said, James Vowles has made a point of stressing his team’s independent decision-making since arriving.
Ultimately, Lawson would rather have a full-time seat and some stability in F1. However, ideal circumstances rarely present themselves for rookies – even if Lawson’s are especially difficult.
Regardless of how unexpected a Williams stint could be, the Red Bull junior will undoubtedly jump at any opportunity to get behind the wheel.
