Liam Lawson says thinking about auditioning for a Red Bull seat in 2025 is "very far" from his focus, as he concentrates on the performance criteria set by RB on his Formula 1 return.
The New Zealander will return to an F1 seat in Austin after Daniel Ricciardo was let go by RB following the Singapore Grand Prix, with Red Bull seeking to assess his performance versus Yuki Tsunoda as it considers its driver options for the future.
Lawson was touted as a potential replacement for Sergio Perez earlier this year, although Red Bull decided to put its faith in Perez lifting himself out of a mid-season slump.
Asked if there were any indications from Red Bull over what Lawson needed to do to put himself in the frame for a Red Bull drive, potentially as early as 2025, he replied that he was only focused on the performance targets he had been set.
“I think [that thinking about a Red Bull drive is] very far ahead, honestly," Lawson said. "The target or the goal that's been set out is the same as it's always been since I was 17 and joined the programme.
"It's all performance-based, and that's basically how they'll be looking at it. Obviously, Yuki's done a very good job the last couple of years, and especially this year.
"He's the benchmark for them to compare me against; he's the only one in the same car as me. So I'll be directly compared with him.
"I guess the goal or the expectation from them is for me to compete alongside him. In terms of where that sets me out for next year or in the future, I have absolutely no idea. But that's the target that's been set out."
Lawson said there were no specific points targets set out that he needed to achieve, but he felt that he needed to break into the top 10 quickly to help RB cement its claim for sixth in the constructors' championship.
He added that the nature of the Austin F1 sprint weekend was a "difficult" way to return, given his lack of experience on the circuit and the limited practice running available to him.
"[The break has been about] just preparing as much as possible; it's a difficult time to come into the season, obviously with a sprint weekend this weekend, new track, end of the season, so I'm just trying to be as ready as possible.
"I think it's not as simple as a position or like 'this is where I want to be'. I think it's scoring points mainly for myself, because what the team's going to judge me on is how I perform, and the best way to do that is score points.
"And also for the team, fighting for P6 in the championship as well. I'll basically be trying to get to the points as soon as possible, for me that's the goal."
