Liam Lawson Red Bull F1 2024 car test sparks Sergio Perez replacement rumours

The reported emergence of a test run in Red Bull’s current F1 car for Liam Lawson has sparked rumours about Sergio Perez’s future, writes Lewis Larkam at Silverstone.

Red Bull reserve Lawson, who made his F1 debut as a stand-in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at RB last year, is scheduled to drive Red Bull’s 2024 car, the RB20, for a filming day at Silverstone on Thursday, according to Motorsport.com. 

Despite being handed a new two-year deal by Red Bull in June, Perez has found himself coming under increasing pressure amid a continued run of poor form.

Max Verstappen has won seven of 11 races so far this year while Perez is yet to claim a victory and has not featured on the podium since the Chinese Grand Prix in April. 

Perez has not finished higher than seventh in his last five races and suffered a string of disappointing qualifying performances. His latest poor display came at Silverstone on Saturday as he dropped out of Q1 in 19th after beaching his Red Bull in the gravel early in the session.

The torrid run has left Perez fifth in the championship with 118 points compared to Verstappen’s 237. Red Bull currently top the constructors’ standings, holding a 64-point lead over second-placed Ferrari.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted there is “no hiding” Perez’s current run of poor form.

“This is a sport where there's no hiding, particularly with Max Verstappen as your team-mate,” Horner told Sky Sports F1 at the British Grand Prix.

“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, and there's two Mercedes. We need there to be desperately two Red Bulls.”

Perez’s form has fuelled speculation that Ricciardo could be called up to replace Perez either this season or next, but Motorsport report this is “wide of the mark” with the Australian underwhelming since making a full-time return to the F1 grid.

But Lawson’s planned filming day outing has now prompted fresh rumours that the Kiwi could be a contender to become Verstappen’s next teammate.

12 months ago, Ricciardo did enough during a Pirelli tyre test at Silverstone to convince Red Bull to replace Nyck de Vries at their sister team after only 10 races.