Liam Lawson unlikely to claim F1 seat, RB pleased with Yuki Tsunoda, Daniel Ricciardo

Both of RB's current drivers are set to see their contracts expire at the end of the year.

Lawson, who made a notable impression during his brief stint in Formula 1 last season, was considered a strong candidate for a full-time position in 2025.

However, it appears that Red Bull's initial plan to pair Daniel Ricciardo with Max Verstappen and place Yuki Tsunoda alongside Lawson at their junior team has fallen through.

Ricciardo's recent performances, particularly when compared to Tsunoda, have been underwhelming, diminishing his chances of securing a promotion.

Consequently, Red Bull seem to be leaning towards retaining Sergio Perez, with rumours circulating that his contract renewal could be announced in the near future.

Tsunoda, on the other hand, has had an impressive 2024 season, earning him a likely extension.

His strong form makes him an asset to the team, while Ricciardo's experience and marketability continue to hold significant value for RB.

"We're very happy with both of our drivers," Bayer said. "And honestly, we're not wasting time with discussing ifs and whens.

"We have a very strong line-up. We have a great reserve driver. We have great talent coming through F2, F3. Currently, it's all about focusing on performance - the focus is more on Aston Martin in front of us than on driver discussions.

"Liam is an extremely valuable member to the team.

"He's with us every weekend, obviously. He's doing a lot of work in the simulator.

"But as I said before, currently we have two drivers in the cars. We are finding performance with the two. And we really do not discuss the 2025 situation, perhaps because we're in a luxury situation of having that strong grassroot pyramid behind us.

"So the focus is really on track and on the next couple of races until definitely the summer break."