News Summary
- Racing Bulls expects to decide its 2027 driver line-up in the coming weeks, but Alan Permane says the team is in no rush.
- Liam Lawson, Arvid Lindblad and Formula 2 contender Nikola Tsolov are in the picture for two available race seats.
- Permane says the team must consider both immediate performance and each driver’s potential to progress within Red Bull’s programme.
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane has acknowledged that three drivers are competing for two Formula 1 seats in 2027, leaving Liam Lawson facing continued uncertainty despite his performances during the current season.
Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad have contributed to Racing Bulls’ fight for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship, while Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov has emerged as another candidate following his strong Formula 2 campaign.
Speaking to reporters at the Singapore GP, Permane said the team expects to make a decision in the coming weeks but will not rush the process simply to resolve the speculation.
Permane says Racing Bulls will take more time
Permane declined to set a specific date for the announcement, explaining that Racing Bulls wants to assess its options carefully before confirming the 2027 pairing.
“I don’t want to give a definite date, that’s not going to work,” Permane told reporters. “It’s going to be in the coming weeks. We’re not in a rush.”
The team principal acknowledged the quality of the candidates and the difficulty of accommodating all three.
“Everyone knows we’ve got two fantastic drivers, we’ve got a fantastic driver in F2 at the moment. They’re all there and ready to go, but three doesn’t fit into two, of course,” he said. “We’re just going to take a little bit more time and make sure we get the right pairing for next year.”
The comments leave Lawson’s future unresolved, despite Racing Bulls having praised the New Zealander’s progress and contributions throughout 2026.
Racing Bulls must balance results and Red Bull’s future
Permane explained that the decision involves more than simply comparing the drivers’ current results.
Racing Bulls also serves as a development team within the Red Bull organisation, meaning the potential for a driver to progress to the senior team remains an important consideration.
“There are many, many, many things. I guess top of the list is speed and pace and all that goes with that,” Permane said. “There’s lots going on in the background because we’re in a slightly unique situation.”
“We want to bring on young drivers, we want to bring on young talent. We have one eye on them progressing in the future. So it’s not just about the here and now; it’s also about what they can do in the future.”
Lindblad is completing his rookie F1 campaign, while Tsolov is competing for the Formula 2 title. Lawson, meanwhile, has already experienced promotion to Red Bull’s senior team and a subsequent return to Racing Bulls.
As GRANDE PRÊMIO previously examined, Lawson’s situation involves the competing priorities of delivering immediate results and creating opportunities for the next generation of Red Bull drivers.
Lawson delivers another strong Singapore result
Permane’s comments came on the same day Lawson qualified eighth for Saturday’s Singapore sprint, securing a place in SQ3 while Lindblad was eliminated in 17th.
The result gave Lawson an opportunity to score points in the shorter race, which awards championship points to the top eight finishers.
Racing Bulls had struggled for pace during FP1, but changes made before sprint qualifying improved Lawson’s performance.
The New Zealander set a 1:32.341 in SQ3, finishing ahead of Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly.
The complete Singapore sprint qualifying results are available in GRANDE PRÊMIO.
The complete Singapore GP schedule, including sprint and broadcast information is available in GRANDE PRÊMIO‘s weekend guide. GRANDE PRÊMIO follows the latest Formula 1 news throughout the Singapore GP weekend.
Singapore GP 2026: F1 schedule and start times
The 2026 Singapore GP takes place from October 9-11 at Marina Bay, featuring a sprint weekend with five Formula 1 sessions. See the start times for the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, India, Australia and New Zealand.
| Session | UK (BST) | US/Canada (ET) | India (IST) | Australia (AEDT) | New Zealand (NZDT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, October 10 | |||||
| Sprint | 10:00 | 05:00 | 14:30 | 20:00 | 22:00 |
| Grand Prix qualifying | 14:00 | 09:00 | 18:30 | Sun 00:00 | Sun 02:00 |
| Sunday, October 11 | |||||
| Grand Prix | 13:00 | 08:00 | 17:30 | 23:00 | Mon 01:00 |
All times are local to each listed region. Australia refers to Sydney/Melbourne time (AEDT), New Zealand to Auckland/Wellington (NZDT), and ET to New York/Toronto. Dates are the same as Singapore unless otherwise indicated.
For additional details, see the complete Singapore GP schedule and how to watch. GRANDE PRÊMIO follows the latest Formula 1 news throughout the Singapore GP weekend.
F1 today: FAQ
What time is Singapore GP sprint qualifying today?
Sprint qualifying starts at 20:30 Singapore time on Friday, October 9, equivalent to 13:30 BST in the UK, 08:30 ET in the United States and Canada, and 18:00 IST in India. The session determines the starting grid for Saturday’s sprint.
Who was fastest in Singapore GP FP1?
George Russell topped FP1 with a 1:32.274, driving Mercedes’ older W17 aerodynamic specification. Charles Leclerc finished second, 0.198s behind, followed by Lando Norris in third. Kimi Antonelli was seventh with the upgraded Mercedes, while Gabriel Bortoleto finished 16th.
Why is George Russell using the old Mercedes at the Singapore GP?
Mercedes is comparing its previous W17 specification with the aerodynamic upgrade introduced at Sepang. Russell is using the older package, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli retains the new version. Russell led FP1, but differences in tyre compounds and run programmes mean the result alone does not establish which specification is faster.
