Lawson reveals Horner F1 seat guarantee

Liam Lawson has shared that Christian Horner gave him his word that he would race in F1 this season when Daniel Ricciardo returned from injury last year.

Ahead of the United States Grand Prix, the 22-year-old has replaced the Australian at RB for the remainder of 2024.

It is believed the six-round run is tantamount to an audition for Sergio Perez's seat at Red Bull, with the Mexican driver's future still far from certain.

At the least, it appears the New Zealander will remain at RB next season, but with all Red Bull drivers centrally contracted, the situation is fluid and can quickly change.

Speaking on the F1 Nation Podcast, Lawson explained the recent move has been a long time coming.

When Ricciardo broke his hand at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, Lawson deputised for five rounds. He performed well, scoring points in Singapore and proving a match for Yuki Tsunoda.

That left an immediate impression and there has been the sense of when, not if he would be back racing in F1 again ever since.

"The idea of me jumping in is something that Christian [Horner] told me a year ago," Lawson told Tom Clarkson and Damon Hill.

"When I stepped out of the car, that was one of the things he said to me: 'I give you my word. I'll basically have you in a race seat at some point next year.'

"So I always knew that that was the intention, and it'd been talked about. But, as you know, Formula 1 is a rollercoaster, and every weekend things change.

"One minute it looks really good, and then it doesn't look good, and it's all depending on how the guys are actually going.

"It's a bit horrible, to be honest, because you kind of are sitting there, wondering what your chances are of driving, And it completely depends on how the guys that are currently driving are doing.

"You don't want somebody's downfall to be your way in, but for me to drive, somebody has to leave, obviously."

Ricciardo switch call came before Singapore Grand Prix

However, despite what was essentially a guarantee from the Red Bull team principal, Lawson highlighted that it was not necessarily Ricciardo that would be making way for him - or that the seat would definitely be at RB.

"There was no clear route of who [or] where that was going to be, though," he added.

"So it wasn't like: 'in 12 months time you're going to switch with this person'. It was: 'in 12 months time we're going to have you a seat, but we just don't know where yet'."

One of the major talking points of last month's Singapore Grand Prix was whether it would be Ricciardo's last in F1.

Red Bull, and RB, publicly claimed no decision had yet been made. However, the 35-year-old's demeanour and the way the situation was handled suggested the call to put the New Zealander back in was finalised.

It is something Lawson confirmed himself: "So that was kind of where, throughout the year, the discussions were being had, and it was only actually Baku time where Christian finally told me that I'd be jumping in."