Once healed, Ricciardo rejoined and finished the 2023 season alongside teammate Tsunoda, and they formed this year’s lineup for the rebranded RB. It left Lawson, now 22, on the sidelines again, with five grands prix under his belt. As Red Bull’s reserve driver, the New Zealander was at the race weekends and following along from the garage.

Perez had not won a race since April 2023, even as his teammate Max Verstappen has dominated F1, and was rarely competitive this season.

Following Red Bull parting ways with Sergio Perez earlier this week, Lawson has been confirmed as the fulltime occupant of the team’s second seat from 2025. However, the 22-year-old’s place comes at a vital time for Red Bull,