News Summary
- Liam Lawson finished fifth in the Singapore GP sprint, gaining three positions from his starting place.
- The New Zealander collected four championship points, while Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad finished 13th.
- Team principal Alan Permane says Racing Bulls will decide its 2027 driver line-up in the coming weeks, with Lawson’s future still unresolved.
Liam Lawson strengthened his case for a place on the 2027 Formula 1 grid by finishing fifth in Saturday’s Singapore GP sprint, converting eighth on the grid into four championship points during a chaotic race at Marina Bay.
The Racing Bulls driver finished 20.632s behind winner Max Verstappen, surviving difficult wet conditions and multiple incidents to secure one of his strongest results of the season. Teammate Arvid Lindblad, who started 17th, finished 13th and outside the points.
The result came less than 24 hours after Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane confirmed that the organisation is still evaluating its options for 2027, with Lawson facing competition for a seat within the Red Bull driver programme.
Lawson gains three places in chaotic Singapore sprint
Lawson had already demonstrated improved competitiveness during Friday’s sprint qualifying, advancing to SQ3 after Racing Bulls made setup changes following a difficult practice session.
The New Zealander qualified eighth with a 1:32.341, nine positions ahead of Lindblad.
“I feel pretty happy with today’s Sprint Qualifying,” Lawson said on Friday. “We made some changes in between sessions and they clearly paid off.”
Saturday’s sprint presented a very different challenge after heavy rain delayed the start by 30 minutes.
Lawson navigated the wet conditions and the safety-car interruption caused by George Russell’s crash, before benefiting from the dramatic final-lap collision between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
The result placed Lawson fifth, behind Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli.
As GRANDE PRÊMIO reported in its complete Singapore sprint coverage, nine drivers failed to finish the race, including Russell, Piastri and Gabriel Bortoleto.
Racing Bulls has yet to confirm Lawson’s 2027 seat
Lawson’s result came during a weekend in which Racing Bulls confirmed that its 2027 driver decision remains open.
Permane explained on Friday that the organisation wants to assess its options carefully before finalising the line-up.
“It’s going to be in the coming weeks. We’re not in a rush,” Permane said.
The team principal acknowledged that three drivers are competing for two seats, with Lawson, Lindblad and Formula 2 contender Nikola Tsolov involved in the wider selection process.
“Three doesn’t fit into two,” Permane admitted.
Racing Bulls must balance immediate performance with the Red Bull programme’s long-term objective of developing young drivers for its senior team.
The New Zealander’s fifth-place finish adds another result to his case for remaining in Formula 1, following a season in which he has consistently contributed points to Racing Bulls’ Constructors’ Championship campaign.
Lawson moves further ahead of Lindblad in championship
Lawson’s four points in Singapore increased his season total to 69, strengthening his ninth place in the Drivers’ Championship. Lindblad remains on 38 points, leaving the teammates separated by 31.
Racing Bulls now has 94 points in the Constructors’ Championship and remains fifth, ahead of Alpine.
The New Zealander will have another opportunity to build on his performance during Saturday’s separate qualifying session, which determines the starting grid for Sunday’s Singapore GP.
The complete Singapore GP schedule, including qualifying and broadcast information is available in GRANDE PRÊMIO‘s weekend guide. GRANDE PRÊMIO follows the latest Formula 1 news throughout the Singapore GP weekend.
