New Zealand Formula 1 driver Liam Lawson has commented on his future with Racing Bulls, following recent speculation regarding his seat for upcoming seasons. Reports from a Spanish outlet suggested that Nikola Tsolov, an F2 driver, had been guaranteed a spot in Red Bull’s junior team, potentially impacting Lawson’s position.
Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Lawson was asked about contract renewal discussions. He described the situation as “very early days,” noting that it has been a strong season for him so far. He expressed satisfaction with his performance and the team’s progress, stating, “It’s been a very good season so far. We’ve enjoyed a lot, obviously a lot to learn with these cars, and we’re doing that every single weekend, and we’re in a good place, but obviously trying to keep that momentum going.”
Lawson added, “It’s very early days for those kinds of conversations, but I’m honestly very happy, and we’re all pretty happy.”
Racing Bulls responds to speculation
Racing Bulls has distanced itself from reports indicating Lawson might be dropped from the 2027 Formula One grid. The Spanish outlet SoyMotor had reported that Red Bull Formula Two driver Nikola Tsolov was guaranteed a seat at Racing Bulls for next season, with Lawson potentially making way unless Max Verstappen departs the organisation.
Tsolov is currently second in this season’s Formula Two championship, six points behind the leader, having secured two feature race wins and one sprint victory. However, when approached for comment, a Racing Bulls spokesperson stated that nothing has been confirmed for next year. “We’re very much focussed on our 2026 season, and haven’t confirmed anything for 2027,” the spokesperson said.
Despite Tsolov’s potential in junior categories, removing Lawson would be a significant decision for Red Bull given his current form. Lawson is currently 10th in the drivers’ standings with 28 points after seven race weekends, having scored in five Grands Prix and one sprint race.
This places Lawson 15 points ahead of his junior teammate Arvid Lindblad, who is 13th in the standings. Among drivers outside of Formula One’s top four teams—Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull—only Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, in eighth, is ranked higher than Lawson.
Lawson’s recent performance and super licence requirements
Lawson has shown strong form in the 2026 season, finishing in the points in the last three races. He has consistently battled for a spot in the top 10 during races and is considered a leading driver in the midfield. He reflected on his season, saying, “I feel I’m in a good place, I feel like I’ve learned a lot over the last 12 months. Things are working well at the moment.”
This strong performance follows a challenging period where Lawson was dropped from Red Bull after two races last year. He has since rebuilt his career at Racing Bulls.
The process for Red Bull to finalise driver lineups for Racing Bulls typically occurs later in the season. In the past two years, driver pairings for both teams were not confirmed until the final weeks of the season.
Furthermore, Nikola Tsolov does not currently possess the FIA super licence required to compete in Formula One. To obtain the necessary points, Tsolov would need to finish fifth or higher in this season’s Formula Two championship.
Tsolov was also not selected to drive for Red Bull during free practice one in Barcelona; instead, Racing Bulls’ reserve driver Ayumu Iwasa was given the opportunity. The purpose of Racing Bulls as a junior team is to serve as a development pathway for drivers to advance to Red Bull’s senior ranks. Lawson was promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull at the end of 2024 but was subsequently dropped after two races in 2025. He was overlooked for re-promotion this season in favour of Isack Hadjar.
Hadjar’s results since moving up have been less convincing, as he currently sits ninth in the drivers’ championship, six points ahead of Lawson.
The upcoming race weekend in Austria is expected to be challenging due to high temperatures, with forecasts reaching 32C. Lawson anticipates a “tough” and “very hot” race but expressed confidence, stating, “I’m expecting it to be challenging, but obviously, we put the work in away from track as well, so I feel good about it.” The first practice session for the race weekend begins tonight at 11:30 pm, with qualifying scheduled for 2:00 am Sunday, and the main race starting at 1:00 am on Monday.
Source: 1news.co.nz
