Liam Lawson’s position at Racing Bulls for the 2027 Formula 1 season remains unconfirmed following a difficult Mexico City Grand Prix weekend. Speculation among F1 pundits suggests a decision regarding his future may have already been communicated to the driver.
The Mexico City Grand Prix proved challenging for Lawson. During Friday’s second practice session, he was involved in an incident with Max Verstappen, resulting in a one-place grid penalty for both drivers.
Lawson then faced disqualification from qualifying after his Racing Bulls car breached technical regulations. Stewards found his car exceeded the minimum MGU-K power requirement after his fastest Q2 lap.
The infringement occurred because Lawson did not immediately lift off the power after crossing the control line, preventing the required rate of MGU-K deployment reduction.
Despite initially qualifying eighth, the grid penalty and subsequent disqualification meant Lawson was set to start from the back of the grid.
Further technical violations, including unauthorised changes to the suspension setup and exceeding power unit component allocations, mandated a pit lane start for the race.
Despite these setbacks, Lawson completed the race in ninth position, securing two points for Racing Bulls. He finished between the two Alpine cars of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.
Viaplay pundits, including Chiel van Koldenhoven, Amber Brantsen, Mike Hezemans, and Ho-Pin Tung, observed Lawson’s emotional state after the race. They concluded that he likely possesses more information about his 2027 prospects.
Racing Bulls Team Principal Alan Permane stated in October 2026 that the team would finalise its 2027 driver lineup in the coming weeks. He noted the team was ‘in no rush’ to make the announcement.
The team faces a decision between three drivers for two seats: current drivers Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, and Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov.
Lawson has accumulated 61 points for Racing Bulls in the 2026 season, outscoring his teammate Arvid Lindblad, who has 38 points. This is despite Lawson missing three races while substituting for Isack Hadjar at Red Bull.
Nikola Tsolov, currently leading the Formula 2 championship, made his Formula 1 Free Practice 1 debut in Mexico. He is considered a strong candidate for a 2027 seat.
Reports earlier in 2026 suggested Tsolov had secured a 2027 seat, but Permane dismissed these as speculation, indicating no internal discussions had taken place at that time.
Helmut Marko, who previously oversaw Red Bull’s driver development, retired from his motorsport advisor role at the end of 2025. He now serves as an ambassador for the Austrian Grand Prix.
Driver selection for Racing Bulls is now managed by a broader group, including Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies and Racing Bulls Team Principal Alan Permane.
“It’s going to be in the coming weeks, let’s say. We’re not in a rush. Everyone knows we’ve got two fantastic drivers. We’ve got a fantastic driver in F2 at the moment, and they’re all there and ready to go. But three doesn’t fit into two, of course, and we’re just going to take a little bit more time and make sure we get the right pairing for next year.”
The final decision from Racing Bulls is anticipated in the near future, with the futures of Lawson, Lindblad, and Tsolov hanging in the balance for the 2027 season.
