Liam Lawson has commented on recommendations that he may change the misfiring Daniel Ricciardo.
Lawson deputised for the injured Ricciardo at AlphaTauri to a lot acclaim final season nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient to wrestle away the full-time race seat.
However Ricciardo’s poor begin to 2024 for the rebranded RB crew has shone a light-weight on Lawson, who waits within the wings.
“It’s sadly simply rumours in the intervening time,” Lawson informed F1 Nation podcast.
“To inform you the reality, I’ve completely no concept.”
Tom Kristensen, the Le Mans winner, added: “Daniel, coming [to Japan] after Melbourne, it’s a tricky begin to the season.
“He sat out first follow then second follow was rained off.
“He had in all probability been considering it could be one other battle.
“He did fairly nicely, he was near Yuki Tsunoda in qualifying. It was the cut-off to being within the high 10 or beginning eleventh.”
Ricciardo’s race ended on the primary lap in a crash with Alex Albon.
“Danny couldn’t do something. Ricciardo had nowhere to go,” Kristensen analysed.
He accepted that merely being shut behind teammate Tsunoda in qualifying just isn’t sufficient to warrant retaining his RB drive.
“Most likely not, within the technique of the individuals throughout the Purple Bull group,” Kristensen stated.
“They gave him this opportunity. They count on extra from him. All of us count on extra.
“We’re used to seeing late braking, overtaking, sturdy performances. We are able to’t wait to see them however they haven’t been right here but.
“I don’t even need to point out that we noticed him battle at McLaren…”
Ricciardo’s finest end has been a lowly twelfth this 12 months, at his dwelling race in Australia.
A 12 months which started with him because the red-hot favorite to interchange Sergio Perez at Purple Bull in 2025 has morphed into questions on his suitability to even drive for RB.
Teammate Tsunoda has fared higher, claiming factors at his dwelling Japanese Grand Prix final day out.
“He’s by no means been sluggish,” Lawson stated.
“He’s all the time been very, very quick.
“It’s a consistency factor. He’s on kind this 12 months. He’s very constant and never making many errors.”
F1TV’s Alex Jacques credited Tsunoda for scoring factors in consecutive grands prix.
“The large 5 groups are a great distance clear,” he stated. “You want one thing to go flawed.
“In the event you don’t convert your alternatives this 12 months will probably be painful by the point you get to Abu Dhabi.”
