News Summary
- Liam Lawson is increasingly likely to remain with Racing Bulls for the 2027 Formula 1 season, according to The Race.
- The New Zealander strengthened his position by qualifying third on the grid and finishing seventh at the São Paulo Grand Prix.
- Red Bull’s shareholders have yet to make the final decision, with Nikola Tsolov and Arvid Lindblad also involved in the team’s 2027 plans.
Liam Lawson is closing in on a new Formula 1 contract with Racing Bulls for 2027, with his strong performance at the São Paulo Grand Prix strengthening his position in the team’s driver selection process.
According to The Race, the New Zealander has emerged as the leading candidate to retain his seat, although the decision still requires final approval from Red Bull’s shareholders. An official announcement is expected before the Las Vegas Grand Prix, scheduled for November 19–21.
The development represents a significant improvement in Lawson’s prospects after weeks of uncertainty over his future. The 24-year-old had publicly expressed frustration at not knowing whether Racing Bulls would retain him, despite producing some of his strongest performances of the season.
Lawson strengthens position with São Paulo performance
Lawson delivered another convincing performance at Interlagos, qualifying fifth in wet conditions before grid penalties for George Russell and Charles Leclerc promoted him to third for Sunday’s race.
The Racing Bulls driver made an excellent start, moving into second place behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli and ahead of pole-sitter Lando Norris. Although he eventually lost ground to the faster cars, Lawson remained competitive throughout the changing conditions.
He crossed the line eighth but was promoted to seventh after Leclerc received a five-second penalty for contact between the two drivers.
The result earned Lawson another 6 points and reinforced his position among Formula 1’s leading midfield drivers. His performance followed a strong sequence of results, including his recovery from a pit-lane start to seventh in Mexico City.
Lawson’s consistency has become particularly important as Racing Bulls pursues fifth place in the constructors’ championship, which would represent its best result in Formula 1.
Racing Bulls weighs Lawson against Nikola Tsolov
The main uncertainty has centred on whether Racing Bulls should retain Lawson’s experience or create an opportunity for Tsolov, who has been progressing through Red Bull’s junior programme.
The Bulgarian completed a Formula 1 practice appearance at the Mexico City Grand Prix, giving the team additional information about his readiness for a potential promotion.
Speculation intensified during the São Paulo weekend when Arvid Lindblad appeared to suggest on social media that Tsolov would become his teammate in 2027. The message was subsequently edited, and Racing Bulls did not confirm the implied line-up.
According to The Race, Lawson’s recent performances have increasingly strengthened the argument for continuity, although the final choice remains subject to approval.
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane acknowledged during the São Paulo weekend that the team was taking time to assess the available candidates.
“We’re trying to apply a little bit of science and that takes some time. We are looking at everything and studying, analysing and time is on our side,” Permane said.
“We’re not in a rush to do anything and I’m very confident the right decision will be made. I realise it’s frustrating for our drivers, I realise it’s frustrating for everyone else, but we want to get it right and we will get it right, and I’m sure when we announce it in the coming weeks everyone will be happy.”
Permane recently extended his own contract to lead Racing Bulls through the end of 2031, providing stability at management level while the driver decision remains unresolved.
Lawson admits uncertainty has affected his season
Before the São Paulo Grand Prix, Lawson acknowledged that the uncertainty surrounding his future had made it difficult to enjoy his recent results.
“It is hard because you want to enjoy the good results as much as possible, and for us, we had a great race; it was a very hard weekend, but we had a great qualifying, and then we had the [disqualification],” Lawson told reporters at Interlagos.
“When we have a race like that, [not knowing about my future] takes away from some of the emotion when it is so undecided about my future.”
“With that in the back of your mind, it definitely takes away from some of the results we’ve had recently.”
The New Zealander also acknowledged that the timing of the decision had made his situation particularly difficult because most other Formula 1 teams had already completed their 2027 line-ups.
“I don’t know what else they want me to do,” he said.
Lawson’s campaign has represented a substantial recovery after his difficult spell with Red Bull’s senior team. His points-scoring consistency and comparison with Lindblad have provided Racing Bulls with additional evidence as it evaluates the benefits of retaining its current pairing.
Red Bull decision expected before Las Vegas
Racing Bulls remains the only Formula 1 team without either driver formally confirmed for 2027, making its announcement one of the final unresolved questions in the driver market.
Lawson’s expected retention would provide continuity and reward his contribution to the team’s midfield campaign. However, the final decision has not been formally approved, and the reported outcome should not be treated as an official contract extension.
The next race takes place in Las Vegas, where Red Bull is expected to have clarified its plans for the following season.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following the final rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season, including the latest driver-market developments, with breaking news and updates in its Formula 1 section.
