F1 Rumor: Lawson could be 'loaned' to Audi-Sauber in 2025

(GMM) Liam Lawson has suddenly become a major player at the tail end of the intense 2025 Formula 1 driver ‘silly season’.

Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko declared before the Dutch GP weekend that the New Zealander rookie will “definitely” race a Red Bull-branded F1 car in 2025.

He later backtracked, because in fact the 22-year-old Red Bull reserve is clearly a candidate to complete next year’s grid in an Audi-owned Sauber.

“Helmut Marko was misquoted when he reported in Austria that Liam Lawson would drive for the Red Bull family in 2025,” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is quoted by Blick newspaper.

“That may be the case, but perhaps we will exercise the option on Liam in September and then loan him out.”

Another major candidate to join Nico Hulkenberg at Audi-Sauber next year is the team incumbent Valtteri Bottas, whose chances have clearly risen since the arrival as overall boss of Mattia Binotto.

“Discussions will continue next week,” the Finn told Viaplay on Sunday. “I don’t think there is any strict deadline for that. I have understood that it’s for the next weeks.

“The team also wants that as we head towards September,” Bottas added. “Preferably sooner rather than later.”

The very bad news for Sauber is that the team currently looks a long way from ending its alarming points drought, with Bottas and teammate Guanyu Zhou dead last on Sunday and the only cars that were lapped twice.

“The race started very well, but I soon noticed that I couldn’t keep up with the others,” said Bottas. “I was hoping the next tire compound would be better – well, nothing worked.”