Marko thinks Lawson's chances of F1 seat are up: 'Looks like Bruce McLaren'

Liam Lawson might be able to bring in more than just a trophy by winning this year's Super Formula title. Indeed, Red Bull Racing team advisor Dr Helmut Marko believes the New Zealander has a great chance of winning an F1 seat in that case.

'Lawson races as Bruce McLaren'

Lawson was not given the chance to step in as a replacement at the AlphaTauri F1 team in July after Nyck de Vries ' dismissal. Daniel Ricciardo was given the chance instead. The Australian only broke his hand during free practice in Holland, so Lawson was still given the chance as a reserve. Now, after Italy, the junior also looks set to get a chance in the F1 car in Singapore and maybe even Japan.

This makes it a busy year, as meanwhile Lawson is also expected to return to full focus on Super Formula after his F1 stint and take the title there. Speaking to ServusTV, Marko said, "Liam has been with us for a while and he is a very strong driver. He is clever during his battles on the track. He is a bit like Bruce McLaren. We definitely need to keep watching him for the future."

Lawson is candidate for AlphaTauri seat

According to Marko, Lawson's past two substitutions are already good signs. There is a stop of several weeks in Super Formula and that suits Lawson and Marko. Marko: "With the races so far ahead, it's not very clear, but he can still win the title. Maybe that means he grabs a permanent seat in F1 instead of the role of reserve driver. That can happen quickly."

That it can happen quickly is Red Bull's speciality. The team, along with AlphaTauri, is known for making quick decisions regarding driver line-ups. Marko concludes, "He [Lawson] has shown he is good enough to compete in Formula 1 and now he needs to confirm this progression in the coming races."