RaceFans Round-up: Horner told me I’d have a seat in ’24

In brief

Waiting for F1 seat “a bit horrible” – Lawson

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Lawson he would have the chance to drive for one of their teams last year, following his successful stint as Daniel Ricciardo’s substitute.

“The idea of me jumping in is something that Christian told me a year ago,” Lawson told the official F1 channel. “When I stepped out of the car, that was one of the things he said to me that, he said ‘I give you my word I’ll basically have you in a race at some point next year’. So I always knew that was the intention and it had been talked about.”

However Lawson said he was unsure who he would end up replacing until the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when he learned Ricciardo would not complete the season at Red Bull’s second F1 team, RB.

“As you know Formula 1 is a rollercoaster and every weekend things change. So one minute it looks really good and then it doesn’t look good and it’s all depending on how the guys are actually going.

“It’s a bit horrible to be honest because you’re sitting there wondering what your chances are of driving and it completely depends on how the guys that are currently driving are doing. And you don’t obviously want somebody’s downfall to be your way in but for me to drive somebody has to leave, obviously.”

Wharton to F3…

Former Ferrari junior driver James Wharton will make his debut in Formula 3 next year with ART. Wharton finished runner-up to Ferrari Driver Academy member Rafael Camara in the Formula Regional European series this year, winning three of the final four races.

…while Leon joins Prema

Another ex-F1 team academy driver, Noel Leon, formerly of Red Bull, will remain in F3 and join the top Prema team next year. Leon drove for Van Amersfoort this year, taking 10th in the championship, though he was not among the 12 race winners.

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