‘Did not agree’ – Helmut Marko on why Liam Lawson missed out on the Williams drive

Liam Lawson was one of three options Williams had to replace Logan Sargeant but Helmut Marko says they “did not agree” on terms with the team instead signing Franco Colapinto.

The under-fire Sargeant contested his final Formula 1 grand prix last time out in Zandvoort when a crash in FP3 that destroyed his upgraded Williams F1 car all but sealed his fate.

Williams chose Franco Colapinto over Liam Lawson and Mick Schumacher

Finishing 16th in the race as he once again failed to score a point, Williams announced two days later that Sargeant had been replaced with immediate effect by the team’s junior and Formula 2 driver Colapinto.

That came after 48 hours of speculation as to who, if Williams made the call, would replace Sargeant.

Mick Schumacher, Mercedes’ reserve driver, was said to be in the running as too was Red Bull junior and reserve driver Lawson. The latter, though, said Christian Horner would’ve been dependent on Williams agreeing to Red Bull’s terms.

Speaking after the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday, the Red Bull team boss said: “It would depend on which terms, and if we needed him back, that we could have him back quite quickly.

“But certainly, if they needed a driver next weekend, you know, we’d be open to that – but that’s a Williams question rather than one for us to answer.”

But when all was said and done it was Argentinian rookie Colapinto who was handed the opening Williams seat.

Marko says that’s because Williams “did not agree” to Red Bull wanting to be able to recall Lawson at any time if they needed him.

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“What I can say is that we would generally have been prepared to loan him out,” the Red Bull motorsport advisor told Sky F1.

“We couldn’t prioritise that in terms of the number of races or anything else, and from this point of view, it is understandable that Williams did not agree to this deal.”

Williams team boss James Vowles confirmed the terms offered by Red Bull for Lawson didn’t work for Williams.

“With Liam, the contractual sort of position of Red Bull wouldn’t have worked with me here at Williams, so that didn’t become an option for us in that circumstance,” he said.

And in Colapinto, a Williams junior, he says the team is building towards the future even though Williams already have Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz signed for next season.

“Here’s what I believe in,” Vowles added, “what Williams believes in, and what the core values of Williams [are]. Williams has always invested in new generations of drivers and youth, and what I’ve been speaking about all the way through is the investment in the future of Williams.”

As for what’s next for Lawson, Marko retired to Kleine Zeitung that Lawson will “definitely” have a Formula 1 drive next season, but it will “probably not” be with Sauber.

That leaves either Red Bull or VCARB with Sergio Perez or Daniel Ricciardo’s seats in jeopardy.

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