Lawson issues Ricciardo WARNING as RB fight hots up

Liam Lawson has insisted he's more than ready for a return to the Formula 1 grid - ideally as soon as possible.

The New Zealander filled in for Daniel Ricciardo when his fellow antipodean broke his hand last season, and even picked up a couple of points in Singapore.

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Sadly, it wasn’t enough to warrant AlphaTauri handing him a seat for this season, as they opted for the experienced duo of Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo instead.

But his impressive showing means that he is on the radar of teams for a seat in the future – and Visa Cash App RB (formerly AlphaTauri) could yet still be the host of his first full-time opportunity in the sport.

The Italian outfit have stuttered through the first two races of 2024 and are yet to take any points with a car that has shown some potential.

Ricciardo in particular has struggled at stages, including a clumsy spin on the way to a 16th placed finish at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

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Lawson: I feel like I'm ready

Lawson is in the hunt for Ricciardo’s seat, which could be at threat if the Aussie fails to rediscover his form of old at some point in the near future.

“I think Daniel knows that the potential [to replace him] is there, but I’m sure he’s probably expected to step it up,” he said.

“Obviously this year - it’s the first in a while where everything is exactly the same. It makes it very tough to get a seat when there’s multiple guys. I feel like I’m ready but there’s a lot of other guys there also.

“Ultimately my goal is to get back in that seat as soon as possible.”

Now a Red Bull reserve driver – he remains in the front seat to fill in for any driver contracted to their two racing teams if they are unable to race or are replaced.

It’s wise to plan with the future in mind, but Lawson could yet be surprised by the speed that Formula 1 moves as he searches for an avenue to join the grid.

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