Ricciardo To Be Replaced By Lawson At RB

The RB team yesterday announced Liam Lawson will replace driver Daniel Ricciardo for the remainder of this season, beginning at the US Grand Prix next month, as I predicted in my report on last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

Ricciardo, a 35-year-old Australian, has always been a highly likeable and gifted Formula 1 driver during his 14-year career, competing at the pinnacle of world motorsport and also a popular member of the paddock. However, in the F1 Piranha Club, you always survive or fail according to your latest results, so it was no surprise that he would be replaced within the RB team.

Lawson is a quietly spoken but very talented 22-year-old New Zealander who has been promoted from a reserve driver role to take Ricciardo’s race seat at RB after patiently waiting for such an opportunity to arise. He had stepped in briefly last season to cover for the injured Ricciardo, and he turned quite a few heads while doing so.

Daniel has been a true gentleman both on and off the track and never without that smile. He will be missed, but will always hold a special place within the Red Bull family. I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome Liam, who already knows the team well. He drove for us last season and coped well under difficult circumstances, so it will be a natural transition for him.

If Lawson impresses, he could well be a candidate to replace Sergio Pérez in the main Red Bull team next year, but time will tell. Note that late next month, at his home Grand Prix, a week after the Texan round, the Mexican Pérez might announce his retirement.