Liam Lawson, driver of the Racing Bulls, is one step away from sealing his continuity with the Formula 1 team after demonstrating his worth during the recent American Grand Prix. Considered a fundamental piece in the rise of Racing Bulls, who has achieved their best ranking in the constructors’ championship, Lawson placed ninth in Austin and secured two seventh positions in Mexico and Brazil.
Following Nikola Tsolov’s strong performance in his first practice session in Mexico, as well as Lawson’s altercation with Max Verstappen, expectations point to the fact that the New Zealand driver’s fate is leaning in his favor with a decision to be made during the weekend of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. According to a report from The Race, which Motorsport.com considers reliable, it seems that Lawson will continue with Racing Bulls after Tsolov’s arrival as a reserve driver for 2027. Sources close indicate that the final decision is imminent, but is not yet signed.
Struggling for his continuity has been exhausting for Lawson, a situation he knows well since, since 2023, he has fought for his seat as a substitute for the injured Daniel Ricciardo, first from a distance and later as a full-time driver with little job security long-term.
The last races have been crucial, with Racing Bulls and the Red Bull organization postponing the final decision between Lawson and Tsolov. If Racing Bulls were an independent team, the continuity of Lawson and Arvid Lindblad would have been an obvious decision. Lindblad is considered a prospect, but, although it seems that the window of opportunity for Lawson has closed, he has accumulated 89 points as the top scorer outside the top four teams.
Despite this, Racing Bulls’ need to train young drivers for Red Bull Racing presents a complicated scenario. The parent company from Austria is excited about Tsolov’s prospects, one of the standout drivers in Formula 2. However, retaining Lawson would not necessarily mean an impediment to Racing Bulls’ goal, as his experience would provide a good reference for evaluating Lindblad’s performance while allowing Tsolov a stylish year as a reserve driver, which would include training sessions and simulator work.
The team’s principal, Alan Permane, has been pushed to maximize performance once Racing Bulls has to be self-sufficient, with a clear aim of developing talents. “The main factors are always speed and performance. We do not simply exist to compete, but we work to grow young talent, but we also need to have some experience to measure that talent,” Permane commented in Sao Paulo.
The last week has been excessively complicated, and Lawson acknowledged that he appreciated the support he has received from Permane. Fans on social media have not ceased to encourage the team to renew the New Zealander’s contract, and Lawson expressed his gratitude: “I am trying to enjoy driving the car and see what happens,” he said.
With the goal of achieving their best result in the constructors’ championship, Racing Bulls hopes to announce their decision soon.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
