RB has confirmed Liam Lawson will race for the workforce for the rest of the 2024 Formulation 1 season rather than Daniel Ricciardo.
Ricciardo’s future was the middle of hypothesis on the Singapore Grand Prix and the Australian ended the weekend admitting there was an opportunity he had raced for the ultimate time Formulation 1. A Pink Bull overview of its driver line-up has now resulted in Lawson (pictured at proper, above, with Ricciardo) being promoted again right into a race seat beginning with the subsequent race — america Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas.
Lawson impressed workforce administration throughout his five-race stint rather than the injured Ricciardo final 12 months. He completed ninth in Singapore final season to attain two factors whereas standing in for Ricciardo, however the Australian returned at COTA to see out the 12 months. He began this season making an attempt to earn himself one other likelihood at Pink Bull Racing, however regardless of contemplating a change, the senior workforce opted to stay with Sergio Perez in the summertime break.
Ricciardo’s 2024 has seen him rating a finest results of eighth place within the Canadian Grand Prix, though he completed a powerful fourth within the Dash in Miami as one in all 4 point-scoring finishes. He has been outscored by 22 factors to 12 by teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who’s already confirmed at RB for subsequent season.
“Everybody right here at VCARB want to thank Daniel for his arduous work throughout the final two seasons with us,” RB workforce principal Laurent Mekies mentioned. “He has introduced lots of expertise and expertise to the workforce with a improbable perspective, which has helped everybody to develop and foster a good workforce spirit. Daniel has been a real gentleman each on and off the monitor and by no means with out that smile. He will probably be missed, however will at all times maintain a particular place inside the Pink Bull household.
“I’d additionally prefer to take this chance to welcome Liam. He already is aware of the workforce effectively. He drove for us final season, and coped effectively below tough circumstances, so it’ll be a pure transition. It’s nice to see younger expertise from inside the Pink Bull household make the subsequent step. We’re wanting ahead to getting our heads down and specializing in the remainder of the season collectively.”
At this stage, RB has solely confirmed Lawson for the rest of this season, with the seat alongside Tsunoda in 2025 not but formally introduced. Regardless of the present of religion in August, questions stay over Perez’s long-term future at Pink Bull, after a run of 41 factors up to now 12 races. Whereas the Pink Bull has change into a much less aggressive automobile, teammate Max Verstappen has scored 195 factors in the identical spell.
