Liam Lawson set for critical Red Bull test as Perez, Ricciardo rumours swirl

Liam Lawson will take the wheel of Red Bull’s RB20 for a filming day at Silverstone.

Red Bull will field Liam Lawson at the wheel of their RB20 for a filming day at Silverstone in the coming week.

Red Bull will use up its second filming day of the year this coming week at Silverstone, with Liam Lawson being given the responsibility of driving the Red Bull RB20.

Liam Lawson set for crucial day behind the wheel at Silverstone

Having used up their first filming day when the RB20 was launched, the Milton Keynes-based squad will run the car for its second and final filming day of the year after the British Grand Prix.

The team will bring the RB20 to Silverstone and give the day of track time to Liam Lawson, with Red Bull and VCARB‘s reserve driver being given 200 kilometres of driving time at the wheel of the championship-leading machine.

The filming day could have significant importance for Lawson as PlanetF1.com understands the Kiwi’s performance will be evaluated as rumours over Red Bull’s driver line-up have flared up this weekend.

With Sergio Perez’s seat understood to be under threat as the prospect of a promotion for Daniel Ricciardo from VCARB has re-emerged following his recent uptick in form, Lawson could be a candidate for a seat by slotting into Ricciardo’s cockpit if ties with Perez are cut entirely.

F1 testing rules allow each team to carry out two filming days per year, used for marketing or promotional purposes, with a mileage limit of 200 kilometres – the teams must also use specific Pirelli testing tyres for the outing.

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Last year, a similar test at Silverstone was used by Red Bull to evaluate Daniel Ricciardo’s performance level as the Australian carried out a Pirelli tyre test following the British Grand Prix – Ricciardo was duly swapped into the then-AlphaTauri squad to replace the struggling Nyck de Vries.

On Friday, PlanetF1.com reported its understanding that performances clauses in place on both Perez and Ricciardo’s contracts could allow for a driver switch, despite Perez’s recent signing of a new two-year extension at Red Bull.

While a timeline has not been decided upon, the summer break would offer Red Bull the chance for Horner to decide upon a clean switch for the second half of the season and allow for more comprehensive evaluations ahead of the 2025 season.

There’s also the possibility, albeit less likely, that Lawson’s performance could prove eye-opening enough to vie with Ricciardo over the prospect of Perez’s cockpit being opened up.

Speaking over the British GP weekend, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was asked about whether an error had been made in signing Perez back up early in the season as his form remains sporadic – a potential stumbling block in the team’s quest for another Constructors’ Championship.

“That’s a brutally hard question,” Horner said.

“But, of course, the point that you sign a driver, the contents of any agreement are not going to be disclosed to all of you lot.

“So it made absolute sense to sign Checo [Perez] at that point in time. But this is a business in which there are pressures to deliver.”

He revealed Red Bull’s thinking had been a contract renewal would give Perez the confidence to keep his strong start to 2024 going.

“We thought the contract would help,” he said.

“I think it’s something that Checo is working very hard on, and he knows this is a sport where there’s no hiding.

“Particularly with Max Verstappen as your team-mate. He knows he’s being measured against the very best, and we need him up there supporting Max, because there’s two McLarens now, there’s two Ferraris, there’s two Mercedes and we need there to be desperately two Red Bulls.”

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