Red Bull apply immediate pressure on Lawson with junior warning

Christian Horner has applied immediate pressure on Liam Lawson to perform or risk missing out on a future Red Bull seat to a junior driver. 

Red Bull's reserve driver will replace Daniel Ricciardo at RB for the remaining six races this season, affording the team a view on whether he is ready for the full-time seat next year. 

Lawson will partner Yuki Tsunoda who already has a deal with the Faenza-based outfit for next year, with Horner to watch the Kiwi's performances closely. 

This is mostly why Ricciardo has been axed before the end of the season, so Red Bull can start planning for the future. 

When asked on the F1 Nation podcast why Ricciardo was not given the full campaign, Horner replied: "Well, of course, in a perfect world, that would have been what we would have done.

"But from a broader perspective, we need answers for the bigger picture in terms of drivers. 

"And of course, with six races remaining, it's the perfect opportunity to line Liam up alongside Yuki to see how he performs over the remaining six grands prix."

Red Bull audition

Crucially, the upcoming six races are not just for Red Bull to view Lawson for the junior team but whether he could be Sergio Perez's successor. 

Perez has a one-plus-one deal which keeps him at Red Bull for next year and gives the Milton Keynes-based outfit an option to retain him for 2026. 

As highlighted by Horner, Red Bull needs to understand who will race for the team in the future, with the 50-year-old warning that the team could be forced to look elsewhere or at its other junior drivers.

“This goes beyond VCARB - it encompasses Red Bull Racing,” Horner said.

“Obviously we’ve got a contract with Sergio for next year, but you’ve always got to have an eye out in terms of what comes next. Is that going to be Liam?

“Or do we need to look outside the pool? Or will one of the other juniors step up in the fullness of time, whether it’s Isack Hadjar or Arvid Lindblad?”