Red Bull Racing team principle Christian Horner Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Red Bull boss Christian Horner says they have not guaranteed Liam Lawson a drive in 2025, but the New Zealander will be a contender for a seat.
Lawson will remain a Red Bull reserve driver next year after sister team AlphaTauri confirmed Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo for 2024.
Lawson has driven the last three Grands Prix as a replacement for the injured Daniel Ricciardo.
In that time he has finished 11th at Monza, ninth in Singapore and 11th in Japan.
It had been suggested that in agreeing to stay on as a reserve driver, Lawson had been guaranteed a seat in either Red Bull of AlphaTauri in 2025.
However Horner told Sky Sport that isn't the case.
Second-tier drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson and Oracle Red Bull drivers Max Vertsappen and Sergio Perez (L to R). Photo: AFP
"There are no guarantees in life.
"He's done a great job, he's really impressed us, he's done exactly what we could have asked for in terms of grabbing the opportunity in Daniel's absence to show his capability.
"That's turned some heads and done him a lot of good and I think we'll keep developing him when he goes back into the test and reserve role.
"He'll be a candidate certainly for 2025."
Horner says Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who broke his wrist in practice at the Italian Grand Prix, is unlikely to be ready for Qatar next week.
That is likely to mean Lawson will have one more drive this season.
"His (Ricciardo) recuperation is going well, he's fixed in the seat for next year so does he need to rush a hasty return for Qatar.
"He's got his sights fixed on Qatar, but he'll drive the simulator next week and then we'll make some decisions based on that."
The Qatar Grand Prix is on October 6, followed by the US Grand Prix in Texas on October 20, the Mexican Grand Prix on October 27, Brazil Grand Prix on November 3, Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 15th and finally the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 24.