Liam Lawson has six races to impress Red Bull to secure a seat at RB, or possibly make the step up to become Max Verstappen's team-mate; Sauber yet to confirm second 2025 seat; Formula 1 returns with the United States GP in Austin, live on Sky Sports F1 from October 18-20
Wednesday 16 October 2024 11:28, UK
Just two seats are officially up for grabs on the 2025 F1 grid after a chaotic driver market was turned on its head when Lewis Hamilton announced he would join Ferrari.
Seven driver changes have already been confirmed for next year but there is still uncertainty at Red Bull and RB, plus the second Sauber seat for 2025.
The biggest interest is what Red Bull do with Liam Lawson, who has replaced Daniel Ricciardo for the final six rounds of this season at RB, beginning with the United States Grand Prix on October 18-20 when the F1 season resumes.
Lawson now has the opportunity to impress Red Bull and make a claim to take over from Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen's team-mate next season.
Perez, whose Red Bull contract expires at the end of 2025, had a dismal weekend last time out in Singapore, where he was knocked out in Q2 and finished in 10th, as he failed to kick on from his strong performance in Baku.
The Mexican came under big pressure prior to the summer break regarding his future at Red Bull after a poor run of form, but received the backing of team principal Christian Horner to keep his seat for the rest of 2024.
After the Singapore Grand Prix, Horner said: "We need to have two drivers firing on all cylinders. Checo had a good weekend in Baku. He had a tough weekend.
"We need to put some weekends together where you can see... McLaren are putting two drivers on the podium. It's those big points that really make a difference. We need to make sure Checo is as high up the field as we can get him."
Lawson does not have a contract for 2025, so has six races to prove he merits the RB seat on a permanent basis in 2025, or even earn a promotion to drive alongside Verstappen at Red Bull.
He substituted for Ricciardo at five race weekends last year when the Australian broke a metacarpal bone in his hand at Zandvoort.
Lawson was largely impressive during his 2023 cameo, scoring points in Singapore and also twice finishing just one position outside the points in 11th.
The 22-year-old has the challenge of a Sprint weekend in his first event back at RB and is also set to be given a 10-grid place penalty for exceeding the engine limit, so will start towards the rear of the field for the United States Grand Prix.
"Red Bull have said openly that there are still question marks over Checo and he needs to find his form," said Rachel Brookes on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast.
"They have said he's got another year on his contract, so he's there until the end of 2025, but they are looking at that seat.
"Liam knows this isn't just a seat in Formula 1 right now, this is potentially a Red Bull seat, so for him the pressure must be huge.
"We all lauded him when he came in last year and did what he did but now he's got to live up to that again with the possibility of a Red Bull seat hanging over his head, that's massive pressure.
"It's going to be really interesting to see how he deals with it because we were really impressed with how he dealt with everything before, particularly impressed when you hear that he knew he didn't have the 2024 seat, but he still went out and performed. He never spoke badly about anyone in the team or how he'd been treated.
"We know that he's got a fantastic head on his shoulders and we know he's a good driver. If he can put all of that together, potentially he could be in the Red Bull next year. So, for him, it's a huge opportunity."
The five events Lawson and Tsunoda spent as team-mates together last year were close, but the New Zealander's ability to jump in the car and be quick caught plenty of attention.
Tsunoda made his F1 debut in 2021 but has never been seen as a serious contender to become Verstappen's team-mate.
RB announced in June that he would stay with the team for 2025, underlining Red Bull's lack of belief to promote the Japanese driver.
However, if he beats Lawson in the last six races this year and Perez struggles, Tsunoda may have his best chance yet to step up to Red Bull.
"Yuki has upped his game since he first drove in F1. He's the finished article now I think," said Sky Sports' Anthony Davidson.
"I'm not sure it's that easy for anyone to come in and beat Tsunoda. How does he feel about all of this? He's been overlooked every single time.
"These young drivers come in, whether it's Lawson, or Ricciardo comes back as an older experienced driver, Nyck de Vries has a go up against him as well, and Yuki keeps beating them every single time. It can't just be a coincidence.
"Poor old Yuki is being overlooked here. Why isn't he given the chance? Why aren't we hearing about Yuki's chance to replace Sergio Perez? Would he do a better job if he was put into the Red Bull?
"He's a feisty driver. I can't imagine he would be mentally destroyed by Max Verstappen if he finished second to him every single time, or, 10 or 15 seconds down the road. He's a resilient character."
Nico Hulkenberg has already been announced as a Sauber driver for next year, so at least one of Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu will lose their seat.
Hulkenberg will depart Haas after this season, with the American outfit changing their driver pairing completely as Esteban Ocon joins from Alpine and British teenager Oliver Bearman makes his full-time F1 debut, so Kevin Magnussen is set to leave the sport.
Magnussen is not a contender for the Sauber seat as Bottas, Zhou, Williams driver Franco Colapinto and F2 star Gabriel Bortoleto are the candidates.
Bottas feels he is driving better than he did at Mercedes, where he was Hamilton's team-mate for five seasons, but has not had the car to showcase his performances.
The Finn has stated he wants a multi-year deal as Sauber will be taken over by Audi from 2026, when the new F1 regulations are introduced.
Zhou is ahead of Bottas in the Drivers' Championship due to a better highest finishing position, with both drivers yet to score points this year.
The Chinese driver brings the marketing factor of being the first F1 driver from China, which is a big market in the car and motorsport industry.
As for Colapinto, he has surprised many with his impressive performances after replacing Logan Sargeant last month as he finished eighth in Baku and pushed team-mate Alex Albon close on pure pace.
Carlos Sainz will join Williams from Ferrari at the end of this year, but Argentine driver Colapinto has certainly raised some eyebrows at Sauber.
Reigning F3 champion Bortoleto is leading the F2 championship in his rookie season and is one of the most exciting young talents coming through the junior ranks.
Bortoleto, 19 from Brazil, has been part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme since 2023 and is part of Fernando Alonso's driver management company.
"He's an incredible talent and a very humble person as well, which I think that's the biggest thing that we need to work on," said Alonso.
"He's a hard worker, apart from his talent, and I think that's why in Formula 3 and Formula 2 he had this much progress. I think also he's someone that is taking things very seriously as well, which at that age is never a guarantee.
"He won the championship as a rookie in Formula 3, and he's fighting for the championship as a rookie in Formula 2, but without the test of many other rookies. So he's probably the only rookie on the championship.
"So this was an amazing achievement so far. And let's see what the future brings. But, you know, it's a matter of time that he gets to F1."
Just six races remain in Formula 1 2024 and the season resumes with the United States Grand Prix in Austin from October 18-20, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership - No contract, cancel anytime
