Coming into the 2026 Formula 1 season, there was uncertainty surrounding the futures of Racing Bulls teammates Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. The Kiwi driver was entering his second full-time season and fourth overall, and questions were raised about whether his confidence would still be there after being dropped by Red Bull so quickly, just two races into 2025.
As for the rookie, despite his impressive Formula 2 stint, there were doubts over whether he was truly ready for the step up.
So far this season, both Lawson and Lindblad have been excellent for Racing Bulls. The duo has led the midfield thus far, with Lawson P9 in the drivers’ championship and Lindblad not far behind in P11.
To make matters even more difficult regarding the team's 2027 lineup decision, Red Bull junior driver Nikola Tsolov has been incredible in Formula 2 this season. The Bulgarian driver currently leads the championship by 20 points over Gabriele Mini and is in position to take the title.
A tough decision with a clear answer for Racing Bulls
Unless Max Verstappen departs from Red Bull, he and Isack Hadjar appear to be the future of the team. The whole point of Racing Bulls has been to serve as a junior team for Red Bull, and with an incredibly robust junior developmental program, the competition has led to drivers being cycled through very regularly.
With that in mind, it's Lawson’s time at the organization that would most likely come to an end after two years, as Tsolov appears more than ready for an F1 promotion. There is not much of a reason to make him wait any longer.
Lawson may simply have to face the same fate as Yuki Tsunoda did at the end of 2025, meaning the Kiwi driver will likely end up as a reserve or in another series, in the event he is unable to secure a seat with another F1 team for 2027.
Given all three drivers involved in this situation are performing very well this season, a final decision on the Racing Bulls driver lineup could once again stretch into the offseason. It would take a miracle for Lawson to return, not because of his performance, but because of the structure of Racing Bulls.
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