Red Bull should go with Liam Lawson over Daniel Ricciardo as a replacement for Nyck de Vries according to F1 pundit

Red Bull should go with Liam Lawson over Daniel Ricciardo should they want to find a replacement for Nyck de Vries, claims F1 pundit Scot Mitchell-Malm. The Briton believes the team would rather give Lawson, a youngster, a chance over Ricciardo.

Lawson currently competes in the 2023 Super Formula Championship and is touted to be the next in line to make it into the Red Bull F1 family. However, with rumors of Daniel Ricciardo reportedly eyeing a comeback with AlphaTauri in the mix, the New Zealander's future is currently uncertain.

As per F1 pundit Scott Mitchell-Malm, the Austrian team should go with Lawson over Ricciardo if they are looking for a replacement for a struggling Nyck de Vries. He told the Race F1 podcast:

"If Lawson is of genuine interest to Red Bull and is someone the organization wants to keep in the mix, then as much as a Ricciardo reunion with the junior team he left a decade ago would be a fun story, Lawson is a much better long-term pick."

"He's had a really impressive start in Super Formula, I think he's got a win and two other top-five finishes in the first three races so he's emphatically in title contention over there."

He concluded:

"I'd like to see Lawson getting that drive if they do end up replacing de Vries".

Former driver lauds Red Bull's Max Verstappen

Former driver Giancarlo Fisichella recently praised Max Verstappen, the current leader in the championship standings, emphasizing that drivers of his caliber are a rare occurrence in the sport.

Fisichella went on to draw comparisons between Verstappen and the F1 legend Michael Schumacher, with whom Fisichella had the opportunity to race during his career. He said about the Red Bull driver:

"I raced against Schumacher and I think there is no one as strong as him in race management. He remains number one to this day. But if we talk about driving talent, Max is on the same level. I fear that Max is destined to dominate for a long time."

Verstappen is currently at the peak of his powers, having won three of the first five races. The Dutchman won the 2023 Miami GP starting from ninth most recently, showing his ability to plow through the field despite disadvantageous conditions.

The Austrian team is well on its way to securing another constructors' title. However, with teams like Mercedes and Ferrari touted to bring major upgrades, it will be interesting to see how the season progress.