Helmut Marko has hinted that speculation that Liam Lawson will soon take the RB seat is coming directly from the Kiwi management.
Red Bull advisors, who are in charge of Red Bull’s driver development and selection, claim that rumors have come from New Zealand that Liam Lawson could be replaced as Daniel Ricciardo’s running back midway through the season.
Helmut Marko: Daniel Ricciardo exchange rumors are ‘nonsense’
Lawson is a particularly popular player in the driver market, and the Kiwi attracted attention last season when he replaced the injured Ricciardo.
Lawson also reportedly agreed to team up with Ricciardo in the newly rebranded RB team this year, only for Honda to step in so Yuki Tsunoda could keep his seat.
Lawson, who has competed in five Grands Prix, is no longer eligible to take part in free practice sessions or meet the new driver requirements, and is now on the sidelines as reserve driver for two Red Bull teams.
Rumors have recently surfaced that RB are set to make a sensational driver swap with Lawson to replace the struggling Ricciardo, but the Australian has improved significantly by finishing fourth in the sprint race in Miami. Now that the matter has been settled, those rumors may now be put to rest.
But Marco said he had never intended to replace Ricardo, and pointed out that Lawson’s management had planted the rumors in some New Zealand publications.
“The rumors about Liam Lawson replacing Ricciardo at Imola are nonsense,” Marko wrote in a Speedweek column after the Miami Grand Prix.
“Liam’s manager from New Zealand was there and apparently he had a dream and it became known through several media outlets, including in New Zealand.
“Nothing is planned in Imola.”
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But while Mr Marko may not have been impressed by this tactic (if it’s true), the 81-year-old Austrian said Lawson still has a good chance of securing the seat in 2025.
“But of course we’ll look at this in the future,” Marko has previously expressed admiration for what Lawson accomplished during his five-race tenure as a rookie who wasn’t ready in 2023. Ta.
Speaking at the end of March, Lawson said he felt he was “absolutely” ready to take over as running back and replace whichever driver was given the chop.
“I think Daniel knows he has potential, but I’m sure he’s probably expected to step it up even more,” Lawson said.
“Obviously this year is the first time in a while that everything is exactly the same.” [with drivers]. It is difficult to secure a seat if there are multiple people. I feel like I’m ready, but there’s a lot of other people out there.
“Ultimately, my goal is to get back in that seat as soon as possible.”
However, Lawson’s prospects may have dipped slightly in Miami, at least in terms of the RB team, as Ricciardo put in a much stronger performance – the Australian has been a big hit since the team introduced a new chassis for him at the Chinese Grand Prix. It appears to be enjoying a resurgence of sorts.
Both Tsunoda and Ricciardo performed well, and Marco praised both players for their strong moments throughout the weekend in Miami.
“Daniel also had a great performance in the sprint,” Marko wrote.
“Fourth place was a sensation, he set the fastest time in sector three.
“This sector is mainly made up of slow corners. If you drive accurately there, you can gain incredible times.
“And because you’re slow, you’re doubly punished if you make a mistake.”
With Ricciardo losing ground in the Grand Prix after being eliminated in Q1, and Tsunoda racing to 7th place in the Grand Prix, the tables have turned, and Marco wonders why the Australian fell out of form so quickly after his strong performance in the sprints. I explained what happened.
“Three hours later, Ricardo made a mistake.” [in the sector] There he won fourth place,” Marko emphasized.
“This means he missed the mark in qualifying and was eliminated in Q1.
“But that wasn’t all. Ricciardo also couldn’t pick up speed in the race.
“Yuki posted consistently fast times, but Ricciardo lacked the speed and confidence that was evident in his sprints.”
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