Marko’s latest praise for Lawson mounts pressure on Tsunoda, Ricciardo

Lawson has impressed during his first two F1 outings, finishing a solid 11th at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend

The 21-year-old is expected to remain at AlphaTauri for the next two races as Ricciardo continues to recover from wrist surgery. 

Lawson is also in contention for the Super Formula title in Japan - a prestigious single-seater championship.

Speaking on ServusTV, Marko has been impressed with how Lawson has been performing in F1 2023, declaring “the speed is there”.

“Liam has been with us for a while. He is a tough but very smart man in a fight, a bit like Bruce McLaren. This is certainly someone for the future.

“The speed was there [last weekend in Italy], and that is a good sign.”

Lawson’s form could give Red Bull a headache as they have four drivers with just three seats.

Sergio Perez has a contract for 2024, so it’s unlikely his future is in doubt.

Many expect Tsunoda to remain at AlphaTauri, while Daniel Ricciardo has his eyes on a full season with the team following his surprise comeback.

However, if Lawson continues to impress, particularly if he wins the Super Formula title, Marko may be forced to make a decision.

“However, he is now still driving in the Japanese championship, and there he is second in a very, very difficult battle. The cars are faster there than in Formula 2,” he added.

“However, because it is in Japan, it is not viewed that way here.

“Maybe he can win the title there. Will he get a [full-time] seat instead of [staying] a reserve driver? That could happen quickly.”