Rumor: F1 rookie Liam Lawson could replace Perez in 2025

Substitute Liam Lawson, already scoring points in Singapore in just his third race, has Red Bull eying him for 2025 to replace Perez.

With Sergio Perez already hinting that 2024 may be his last year with the Red Bull team, either Lawson or Daniel Perez can replace him in 2025.

Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Scuderia AlphaTauri prepares to drive on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Singapore at Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 17, 2023 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Lawson appears to be the better choice because Daniel Riccardo’s performances remain hit-and-miss.

Yuki Tsunoda is likely to keep his AlphaTauri seat through the 2025 season, at which time Red Bull and AlphaTauri will cease running Honda engines. The Aston Martin team will begin using Honda engines in 2026, and it is possible Tsunoda will move to that team in 2026. He is certainly young enough to keep driving.

Lawson scored AlphaTauri’s best result in more than a year with a ninth-place finish at Marina Bay, having qualified inside the top 10 for the first time in his career and his first visit to the challenging Singapore street circuit.

The 21-year-old has been very impressive in his three races substituting for the injured Daniel Ricciardo, who broke his hand in seven places in a practice crash at the Dutch Grand Prix last month.

The Kiwi was called up on Saturday at Zandvoort after Ricciardo choked and crashed on Friday, breaking his hand. Lawson he did well to bring the car home in one piece in treacherous mixed-weather conditions.

In Singapore he qualified for the top-10 shootout — ahead of his more experienced teammate, Yuki Tsunoda — and raced to a pair of points by finishing ninth.

It’s the best result for any of Tsunoda’s teammates this season and the highest finish for AlphaTauri since last year’s Italian Grand Prix.

Fox Sports Pit Talk co-host Mat Coch said “Liam Lawson in his third grand prix has given AlphaTauri its best result of 2023 around arguably the toughest circuit of the year, certainly the most physically demanding,” Coch said.

“That’s an incredible result for a guy that got parachuted in, had never driven that car prior to free practice three at the Dutch Grand Prix.

“That’s incredible, absolutely incredible. This kid is a superstar.”