Here\u2019s what we learned in Monaco:<\/p>\n
Silly season begins<\/p>\n
With Formula One now in Europe, as Monaco starts a run of six races in eight weeks, teams are in position to begin handing out contracts for next year and beyond.<\/p>\n
In total, of the 22 seats on the Formula One grid, 15 are yet to be filled for 2027. Both Ferraris, McLarens, Alpine\u2019s Pierre Gasly, Williams\u2019 Carlos Sainz and Red Bull\u2019s Max Verstappen are all signed for next year, some beyond that.<\/p>\n
Admittedly, it\u2019s very hard to see Mercedes change either driver, while Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll\u2019s seats at Cadillac and Aston Martin respectively might as well be off the table.<\/p>\n
That, then, leaves 11 places for Lawson to push for to stay on the grid for next year. <\/p>\n
There\u2019s nothing to suggest he\u2019ll leave Racing Bulls or the wider Red Bull family<\/a> \u2013 he even said he\u2019d sign a contract to stay if it was put in front of him to start the weekend.<\/p>\n But as the next few races pan out, Lawson is doing everything right to make sure he\u2019ll be in motorsport\u2019s pinnacle for a little while longer.<\/p>\n The shop window<\/p>\n If he does choose to leave, though, Lawson will have no shortage of suitors.<\/p>\n Depending on if the Red Bull door is truly closed to him or not, considering his two-race demotion<\/a> in 2025, the Kiwi\u2019s ambitions could best be fulfilled driving for someone else.<\/p>\n Performances like what we saw in Monaco<\/a> are the ultimate \u201ccome and get me\u201d from Lawson to other teams. <\/p>\n Lawson has long maintained he wants to drive for Red Bull, but did falter on that at Zandvoort last year<\/a>, when he intimated he\u2019d be prepared to leave. <\/p>\n With 26 points, Lawson now sits ninth in the drivers championship, with the top eight spots being made up of the drivers from the \u201cbig four\u201d teams. <\/p>\n If of those teams \u2013 Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren or Red Bull \u2013 wants to make a change to its driver lineup, Lawson\u2019s name is, theoretically, at the top of the queue for where they might look.<\/p>\n At 24, he\u2019s still far from his peak, while his displays this year have shown a driver that\u2019s completely adapted to the challenge of racing in Formula One, with new regulations to boot.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, the Herald understands both Williams and Audi have expressed interest in signing him in the past.<\/p>\n Yes, there are 16 grands prix and three sprints still to be raced this year. But if it carries on the way it is, Lawson\u2019s name will be at the top of most teams\u2019 shortlists.<\/p>\n Making it count<\/p>\n Of all the places to pull one out of the bag in qualifying, this was it.<\/p>\n Monaco is, without question, the most difficult track to overtake on in all of motorsport. Even with mayhem over the 78 laps, this wasn\u2019t a great race for overtaking.<\/p>\n Which made qualifying all the more important. Across the three practice sessions, both Racing Bulls cars were nowhere near the top 10<\/a>.<\/p>\n It was only some late changes to the set-up and near flawless laps in Q2 that had Lawson starting in the top 10 at all.<\/p>\n