The promotion of Liam Lawson earlier this year to the Red Bull reserve driver was one which came as no surprise. The role will see Lawson take to the track for his first time in a Formula 1 car at the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix at Spa for AlphaTauri, as well as potentially at least one more practice outing later in the year to meet obligations enforced by the FIA.
The role is one which shows the faith Red Bull have in the junior, with on-track successes in F2 highlighting this. In the midst of silly season, a contract to race full-time in Formula 1 next year is a hope of many. Such a move, however, appears unlikely this year due to a range of factors outside of the Kiwi drivers control.
Red Bull Racing are a force in Formula 1, with defending champion Max Verstappen at the forefront of the outfit. Sergio Perez has also proved his worth for the team. Both drivers have consolidated their roles in the squad, with Verstappen on contract until the end of the 2027 season and Perez for the next two.
Their feeder team AlphaTauri, however, are struggling in 2022, managing only 27 points over 13 races to sit eighth at the midseason break. This lack of form could potentially see doors open for a rookie driver next year, with the 20-year-old Lawson seeming next-in-line for the role.
Pierre Gasly is a veteran at the outfit, with 77 races and 325 points scored over his five years with the team. His successes were highlighted by a shock race win at Monza in 2020. Gasly remains under contract with AlphaTauri until the end of next season, with rumors of a clause in his contract allowing him to move to a higher placed team next year should he be called upon being denied this week by Red Bull Chief Helmut Marko.
“There is no exit clause for Gasly, there was none before the summer break and there will be none after the summer break,” Marko said in an interview with Race1 yesterday.
AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost supported Marko on this, stating “It makes no sense for Red Bull to let Pierre go. If a Red Bull driver fails, there is no other adequate driver who can step in. Only Gasly can do that.”
This appears to show that Gasly is all but confirmed at AlphaTauri next year. That only leaves Yuki Tsunoda’s seat as a potential home for Lawson. This too appears unlikely.
A recent announcement by Red Bull and Honda revealed that the Japanese company would remain in partnership with the team to support them in their powertrain development until the new regulations in 2026. Tsunoda, 22, has had the backing of Honda since early in his career, with the outfit supporting their compatriot throughout his F2 and F1 days. This extension means that a Japanese driver at the team is more than likely, especially one so affiliated with the brand.
Tsunoda will need to improve, however, with inconsistent results, a hot-headed reputation and several racing incidents increasingly jeopardising his chances of remaining in the sport. The Japanese driver has managed only 11 points this season, the last of which came eight rounds ago in Spain with a 10th placed result.
The partnership extension appears to be his saving grace, one which will be increasingly scrutinised should the poor run of form continue.
This means that 2023 will most likely see the same driving partnerships at both Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri, with Lawson playing a key support role as a test and reserve driver. Practice sessions and pre-season testing will be more frequent, with Gasly’s contract expiration at the end of 2023 being the most likely time for a new driver for the team.
Lawson will have plenty of opportunity to develop and show his worth in the interim, and whilst unlikely, a move is not completely off the cards.
Formula 1 silly season has already provided some shocks, with the retirement of Sebastian Vettel triggering a move for Fernando Alonso to join Aston Martin being the key highlight. This shows a promotion for Lawson to AlphaTauri could be possible, albeit a surprise.
The Oscar Piastri situation is also ongoing following Alpine’s announcement they had signed the driver in which he later publicly denied through his social media channels.
McLaren appear to be the next home of Piastri should the team wish to buy Daniel Ricciardo out of his 2023 contract, with reports of Ricciardo seeking $21 million to give up his seat. This means one seat still remains at Alpine, and Ricciardo will be a free-agent. A return to his former team does appear an option for the Australian veteran, with Williams also a potential candidate.
Along with Alpine and Williams, Haas and Alfa Romeo also have not confirmed 2023 driver lineups. Haas are a Ferrari powered team, making them most likely to sign a Ferrari Academy Driver. The same goes for Alfa Romeo, should they wish to replace the veteran Valterri Bottas or rookie Zhou Guanyu.
Silly season may still spring a few surprises, and a promotion of Lawson to a full-time 2023 drive would definitely be one of them. Stranger things have happened, however, with the talent of the young Kiwi driver bringing no doubt he will one day soon make it into the sport.
