Lawson has "no assurance" of a 2027 seat as Racing Bulls delay decision
Liam Lawson says he has no guarantee of a seat beyond 2026. Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer says the New Zealander has "done everything to prove himself", but the final call on the 2027 line-up has not been made.
Waiting for a call
Liam Lawson goes into the final races of 2026 without knowing where he will drive next year. Sky Sports reports that he admitted there is "no assurance" for a seat in 2027, and RacingNews365 and PlanetF1 both say that Racing Bulls have not yet announced their line-up.
What Racing Bulls said
Speaking to Austrian broadcaster ORF, as quoted by RacingNews365, Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer said Lawson "has certainly done everything to prove himself" and that this is the general view in the paddock. Bayer said the decision lies with "Alan", who will announce it when the time is right. He also described Nikola Tsolov's Friday practice outing in Mexico as very good and said the rookie integrated well into the team.
Bayer pointed to the team's record of bringing young drivers into the sport: 22 of them, including Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.
The competition
PlanetF1 names Lawson, Arvid Lindblad and Nikola Tsolov as the candidates for the two Racing Bulls seats. Tsolov, a Red Bull junior, is fighting for the Formula 2 title, seven points behind leader Rafael Camara with two rounds left, according to RacingNews365. He took part in first practice in Mexico as part of the mandatory rookie sessions and finished 12th.
Former driver and Sky pundit Karun Chandhok told PlanetF1 that dropping Lawson would be one of the most unjust sackings in the sport, adding that he does not see data suggesting Tsolov is the better option. Jamie Chadwick suggested Red Bull could keep Tsolov in its system, for example as a Super Formula reserve, and does not have to decide immediately.
A difficult Mexico weekend
Lawson's Mexico weekend was eventful. He was referred to the stewards before the race, qualified eighth but was then disqualified after an FIA investigation, and received a grid penalty with Max Verstappen after a clash in practice. Racing Bulls are fifth in the constructors' standings, according to PlanetF1.
What next
The next race is the São Paulo Grand Prix on 8 November. Neither Racing Bulls nor Red Bull has given a date for the 2027 announcement.
