Liam Lawson has quickly become a key figure in the final phase of the intense 2025 Formula 1 driver 'silly season.'

Prior to the Dutch GP weekend, Red Bull's Dr. Helmut Marko had asserted that the rookie from New Zealand would "definitely" be racing a Red Bull-branded F1 car in 2025.

However, he later revised this statement, as it turns out the 22-year-old Red Bull reserve driver is now a strong contender to fill a seat at an Audi-owned Sauber next year.

"Helmut Marko was misquoted when he reported in Austria that Liam Lawson would drive for the Red Bull family in 2025," Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is quoted by Blick newspaper.

"That may be the case, but perhaps we will exercise the option on Liam in September and then loan him out."

Another prominent candidate to join Nico Hulkenberg at Audi-Sauber next year is the current team driver Valtteri Bottas, whose prospects have clearly improved since Mattia Binotto took over as the overall boss.

"Discussions will continue next week," the Finn told Viaplay on Sunday.

"I don't think there is any strict deadline for that. I have understood that it's for the next weeks. The team also wants that as we head towards September," Bottas added. "Preferably sooner rather than later."

Unfortunately for Sauber, the team appears far from ending its troubling points drought, with both Bottas and teammate Guanyu Zhou finishing at the very back on Sunday, being the only cars to be lapped twice.

"The race started very well, but I soon noticed that I couldn't keep up with the others," said Bottas. "I was hoping the next tyre compound would be better—well, nothing worked."