Former Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan has named VCARB driver Liam Lawson as the ideal candidate to race alongside him. Max Verstappen in 2025. According to Jordan, Lawson’s performance in the recent Sao Paulo Grand Prix was hugely impressive, prompting him to label the young New Zealander “the real deal”.

Lawson, who spent almost a year waiting as Red Bull’s reserve driver, finally got the chance to prove himself when he was named as Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement after the Singapore Grand Prix. Red Bull is currently comparing Lawson to teammate Yuki Tsunoda as a possible successor to Sergio Perez, should Perez’s performance decline further.

The Mexican driver remains under Red Bull’s scanner given the vast points gap between him and Verstappen, which led to the team losing the Constructors’ Championship lead to McLaren before losing second place to Ferrari .

Jordan believes Lawson’s recent performance in Brazil was particularly impressive, where he earned a 9th place finish in the sprint race and qualified P5 in a tough wet Grand Prix, ultimately finishing 9th. In contrast, Perez only managed 11th place, which further highlighted Lawson’s potential. Speaking on the Formula for success podcast with former F1 driver David Coulthard, Jordan believes Lawson is the driver to watch in 2025. He said:

“The person that stood out to me, and I have to be honest, Lawson, is the real deal here.

“He drove with a lot of pressure and he knows how to manage himself. He didn’t have Lewis’s (Hamilton) car, he didn’t have the others’ cars, but he showed a level of skill that really impressed me. It is ready to fly in 2025.

“Perez, you know, how many chances did he have? Do you think he’ll make a run next year? No chance.

“A lovely, lovely, lovely guy – but we know that lovely guys don’t win you Grands Prix. While Lawson is the deal, he’s part of the family there, part of the lineup, and he’s the one who should be in that car.

Coulthard added his views:

“I’m not going to disagree that Checo (is a) lovely guy.

“He won a Grand Prix. He’s been a faithful servant, as the team has been to him, but unless something happens over the next three races that gives you a lot of confidence that it’s only an “ism” with this car, then the writing is very, very boldly on the wall.