AlphaTauri boss makes Liam Lawson prediction after missing out on 2024 seat

AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost has backed Liam Lawson to appear on the Formula 1 grid in 2025, after missing out on a full-time seat in 2024.

Lawson impressed during his covering appearances for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull’s junior team, with the New Zealander appearing at five rounds of the 2023 season at short notice after Ricciardo broke his hand at Zandvoort.

He returned to Suzuka this weekend to complete the Super Formula season, the highly-competitive Japanese series where he had been in title contention for much of the year, but Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda were ultimately picked to fill AlphaTauri’s seats in 2024.

Liam Lawson backed for full-time drive in 2025 Formula 1 season

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said previously that it’s unlikely we have seen the last of Lawson in Formula 1 despite him missing out on a drive next season, and AlphaTauri boss Tost, who is set to retire at the end of this year, was full of praise for the job he did as Ricciardo’s stand-in.

Not only did he have to jump in at short notice, Tost highlighted the on-the-job learning Lawson had to do on the wet Pirelli tyres at Zandvoort in particular, having had no previous experience on the wet and intermediate rubber before that weekend.

“Liam did a fantastic job with us, because we must not forget the circumstances when he, the first time, drove in Zandvoort for us – he wasn’t prepared for this,” Tost told reporters in Mexico City.

PlanetF1.com建议

F12024 driver line-up: Who is confirmed for next season’s grid?

F1tickets: How much will it cost fans to watch F1 races in 2024?

“He just had to jump into the car. It was raining, he had to use full wet tyres. He was never in a Formula 1 car with full wet tyres and also not with intermediates, and he did everything without any mistake and he showed a good race performance in Zandvoort.

“I think his highlight with us was in Singapore when he finished on the ninth position.

“Singapore is not an easy track. He was competitive from the very beginning onwards, no mistake, nothing and he deserves a seat in Formula 1 and I expect him, at least in 2025, to be in Formula 1.”

Read next:Franz Tost expecting to see ‘old Daniel Ricciardo’ soon – and he may already be here