Ex-Formula 1 driver Anthony Davidson has admitted that leaving the Red Bull family might be Liam Lawson’s best option to pursue a genuine career in Formula 1, given that he’s been snubbed for 2024.
At the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend, it was confirmed by AlphaTauri that Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo would be their drivers for next season, leaving Lawson without seat once again.
Given how incredible he’s been since replacing Ricciardo at the Dutch Grand Prix, most expected Lawson to be a guaranteed driver on the 2024 grid.
Unless Williams accept a loan offer from Red Bull – if this is even an option for the Austrians – then Lawson will be the Milton Keynes-based team’s reserve for another year.
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This is without a doubt holding the Kiwi back, who has proven in just four races that he’s good enough to be on the grid.
He’s yet to be beaten by Tsunoda this season, despite the Japanese driver having just over two-and-a-half years with AlphaTauri under his belt.
Lawson has been nothing short of extraordinary, with his Q3 appearance at the Singapore Grand Prix being clear proof that he’s potentially good enough to race for Red Bull themselves.
If that wasn’t enough, he then finished the night race in P9, securing the Faenza-based team much-needed points.
The 21-year-old not being on the 2024 grid is a complete robbery in many ways, something which makes Davidson question whether he should look elsewhere away from the Red Bull family.
This is something which has worked in Carlos Sainz’s and Pierre Gasly’s favours, with their F1 careers having become more secure since leaving the energy drink company.
“Of the last three Grand Prix, two of them have been incredibly tough,” Davidson said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast.
“I mean Zandvoort with those mixed conditions, thrown in at the deep end with no testing, hardly knew the car at all, what a Grand Prix to try and survive. He did really well.
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“In Monza, of course, he had another good weekend. And then in Singapore as well, what a track to try and drive your fastest around in a car you barely know. And my goodness he did a great job there.
“He’s out there for himself, and I think he should be out there for himself. If the Red Bull deal doesn’t work out for him – I know they’ve nurtured his way and paved his way for this opportunity [AlphaTauri] to come about – but in the same way we saw with Pierre Gasly [he had to] make his own bed somewhere else.
“If [Lawson] has to do that, and I don’t know how their contracts work there, maybe he’d take a financial hit as well because I’m sure they sign up for a long time with the Red Bull program, but so be it.”