Eddie Jordan has weighed in on Red Bull Racing’s potential driver lineup for the 2025 season. With Sergio Perez’s performance under scrutiny this season and his contract set to expire at the end of 2024, the team has been exploring various options for their driver roster. Jordan believes that the young reserve driver Liam Lawson deserves a shot alongside Max Verstappen, and he also has high praise for another emerging talent, Oscar Piastri.
Speaking on his Formula For Success podcast, Jordan emphasized Lawson’s credentials, despite the New Zealander being overlooked for an AlphaTauri seat in the upcoming season. He stated, “Lawson finishing 11th – and he just keeps doing it – in a car that really shouldn’t be there, scoring points in Singapore, and he’s on the case all the time.” Jordan firmly believes that Lawson is deserving of a Formula 1 opportunity, stating, “Lawson deserves a chance in Formula 1; you can only win the championship with one driver. And, in my opinion, if you are going to change Checo [Perez], I would change them for somebody absolutely new who has a really bright future.”
Jordan drew parallels between Lawson’s potential and the pathway taken by former Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel, emphasizing, “I think Lawson because it’s the same kind of feeder team, isn’t it? Where [Sebastian] Vettel came from, and Lawson has that ability. I think he, either next year or the year after, should wind up in Red Bull.”
In his unwavering support for Lawson, Jordan urged Red Bull to take a bold step by stating, “Put Lawson in the car. Take that chance, because you have a chance of making another Vettel. It’s really difficult to see how Daniel [Ricciardo] is going to do that… Don’t lose Lawson, though; I think he is really good.”
In addition to Lawson, Jordan also has his eye on another promising talent, Oscar Piastri. He revealed that he had received inside information about Piastri’s potential long before the Australian reached Formula 1. Jordan shared, “I think I had, like normally, inside information. Way back in the late ’80s with Johnny Herbert, he was managed by Mark Webber’s wife, Ann, and had that relationship and understood Ann. I thought she was probably the best, the most professional manager of any sportsperson that I came across.”
He continued to express his confidence in Piastri’s abilities, remarking, “So Ann did tip me off, she said, ‘Listen, I have to tell you, this guy is the real deal.’ And I think he is the real deal – full marks to McLaren; they’ve signed him ’til ’26 because they needed to because he will be a very sought-after driver. If I was in Red Bull, and I was thinking of replacing Checo, he’d be the one I’d have in my mind.”
As Red Bull continues to evaluate their future driver lineup, the insights and recommendations of Eddie Jordan are sure to be considered seriously. With young talents like Liam Lawson and Oscar Piastri waiting in the wings, the team faces a pivotal decision that could shape their fortunes in the seasons to come.