Liam Lawson took to the wheel of Purple Bull’s 2024 Method 1 automobile for testing at Silverstone on Thursday, with testing going down amid an under-performing Sergio Perez ) is dealing with growing stress.
New Zealander Lawson, 22, is a reserve driver for each Purple Bull F1 groups and hopes to safe a full-time seat of their secure sooner or later. He carried out nicely in a cameo look in 5 video games at RB (then referred to as AlphaTauri), scoring in Singapore’s third sport final 12 months as an alternative choice to the injured Daniel Ricciardo.
On Thursday, Lawson will take the wheel of the present main R20 automobile as Purple Bull completes the second of two permitted filming days this 12 months for promotional functions, with observe runs topic to the restrictions and strict laws of F1 laws.
Lawson additionally plans to check the 2022 AlphaTauri automobile at Imola later this month as a part of his 2024 reserve programme.
Purple Bull group principal Christian Horner mentioned: “These checks have been deliberate for a while, so they aren’t one thing that has simply emerged however have been deliberate for months.” Sky Sports activities F1 After final Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
“Liam is our check and reserve rider, that is his job.
“However Ceco, it was a horrible weekend for him.”
Perez (left) and Liam Lawson (proper) competed collectively on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix earlier this season
What’s the significance of Lawson’s check?
Individually, as Horner mentioned, the upcoming races with Purple Bull Racing and RB Racing are simply the most recent a part of Lawson’s deliberate backup position this 12 months and his probability to get again on observe in a 12 months’s time.
Nonetheless, with alternatives to drive present F1 vehicles extraordinarily restricted in the course of the season, Thursday’s check of Purple Bull’s 2024 challenger will undoubtedly nonetheless be a chance for Lawson to point out his present stage.
“Movie Days” (allowed twice a 12 months for F1 gear) are designed for groups to movie racing content material on the observe, however they’re additionally typically used for “trial runs” functions earlier than pre-season testing. Purple Bull accomplished its first filming day of the 12 months at Silverstone in February, with Perez and Max Verstappen debuting the brand new RB20.
Observe mileage is restricted to 200 kilometers per filming day (on this case, 33 laps of the Silverstone GP on Thursday), and the vehicles used should be geared up with Pirelli tires designed particularly for such a occasion.
Lawson chats with Purple Bull advisor Helmut Marko and Purple Bull CEO Peter Beyer
Whereas Lawson’s efficiency is actually not make-or-break for his Purple Bull profession and his hopes of touchdown a full-time F1 seat with one of many two groups, it’s from the 22-year-old’s perspective that he was A robust efficiency within the sport will assist present he’s the main different to the world champion if wanted later this season or subsequent season.
It’s believed that Perez’s place is not going to be below direct menace because the Hungarian and Belgian Grands Prix might be held on the finish of the month earlier than F1 enters the summer time break.
However the 34-year-old is below growing stress throughout his August break to discover a means out of a droop in kind that has seen him rating simply 11 factors prior to now 5 races.
Horner admits Perez’s present kind is ‘unsustainable’
Perez failed to attain any factors eventually week’s British Grand Prix after one other depressing weekend at Silverstone.
After spinning in Q1 and ending nineteenth, he began from the pit lane after an engine change, solely to complete seventeenth after an early gamble on switching to medium tires backfired. Teammate Verstappen completed second behind Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
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Perez spun and crashed his automobile into the gravel, bringing out the pink flag and he was out for the primary season!
Perez’s final podium was in China eight years in the past, whereas Verstappen has received thrice since.
“He is aware of not scoring is unsustainable,” Horner mentioned after final Sunday’s sport.
“Now we have to attain on that automobile.
“He is aware of his position and his objectives. Nobody is extra keen to seek out his kind once more than Ceco.”
Perez’s future at Purple Bull appeared sealed when he introduced a two-year contract extension on June 4. However the settlement is believed to include sure efficiency clauses, one thing Horner additionally strongly hinted at when requested about his driver’s struggles in current weeks.
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Christian Horner solutions ‘merciless’ questions on Perez re-signing with Purple Bull after a dip in kind in current video games
Ask instantly Sky Sports activities F1 Talking in the course of the British Grand Prix weekend if he now needs they’d not signed Perez so early for subsequent 12 months, Martin Brundle replied: “It is a brutal conundrum however, in fact, whenever you signal a driver , the contents of any settlement is not going to be disclosed to all of you [the media].
“So signing Checo made absolute sense on the time, nevertheless it’s a enterprise that is below stress to ship.”
Regardless of Perez’s factors deficit and the disappearance of the defending champion’s 2023 ranges of dominance, Purple Bull have steadily prolonged their general lead within the constructors’ championship over the previous 4 races, reaching 12 factors after Silverstone. A 71-point benefit.
However for now, they’re given respiratory room by second-placed Ferrari, their closest early-season challenger who has fallen down the order in current video games.
McLaren and Mercedes have each outscored Purple Bull prior to now 5 races, with the previous simply 78 factors behind Purple Bull, having been 115 factors adrift six races in the past. Sunday’s race at Silverstone marks the midway level of the 24-race 2024 season.
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Lawson made his F1 debut eventually 12 months’s Dutch Grand Prix, dealing with off towards Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc
Ricciardo’s future can be unsure
For the reason that British Grand Prix, when Ricciardo was testing at Silverstone, Ricciardo acquired the prospect to drive the group’s then-latest automobile, a 12 months after Lawson had raced at Silverstone with Purple Bull Racing. .
Ricciardo himself was working in a reserve position at Purple Bull, having returned to Purple Bull after quitting McLaren, and he took half in Pirelli tire testing, with the operating schedule managed by the F1 tire producer on the time.
On this case, Ricciardo’s spectacular efficiency within the RB19 led to Horner and Purple Bull guide Helmut Marko instantly providing the Australian a return to F1 on AlphaTauri, at a price by Nick de Vries bear.
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RB drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda say they continue to be optimistic about their futures at Purple Bull regardless of information that Perez will stay with the group for one more two years.
However a 12 months on, Ricciardo’s future remains to be removed from sure.
Whereas teammate Yuki Tsunoda has been provided a contract extension at RB till 2025, Ricciardo has but to substantiate whether or not he may also keep.
Lawson stays another choice for the Purple Bulls as Perez would theoretically be in cost earlier than the Purple Bulls make any emergency adjustments to the senior squad forward of subsequent season.
F1’s subsequent race is the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest from July 19 to 21. You may watch each race dwell on Sky Sports activities F1. Watch every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Monthly Membership – no contract, cancel anytime
