Liam Lawson’s position at Racing Bulls for the 2027 Formula 1 season remains unconfirmed, despite his strong performance during the current 2026 campaign. This uncertainty has drawn comment from F1 pundit and former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe. Racing Bulls is one of only two teams yet to announce its full driver lineup for next year.
Lawson, currently 24 years old, holds ninth place in the 2026 Drivers’ Championship standings. He has accumulated 75 points this season. This places him as the highest-ranked driver outside of the sport’s top four teams.
The New Zealander has been a significant contributor to Racing Bulls’ performance. He has scored 61 of the team’s 100 points in the Constructors’ Championship. His efforts have propelled Racing Bulls to fifth place in the team standings.
Additionally, Lawson secured 14 points during three race weekends with Red Bull earlier this season. He filled in for the injured Isack Hadjar during that period. This temporary stint contributed to his overall 2026 points tally.
Hinchcliffe expressed his bewilderment regarding the speculation surrounding Lawson’s seat. He highlighted Lawson’s consistent scoring and his role as the de facto team leader. Lawson has scored points in 12 of the 17 races completed so far.
“Imagine all that, and then imagine it’s your seat that’s under threat. From a driver that’s never started a Grand Prix.”
Lawson’s best individual race finish this season is a fifth place, achieved at the Monaco Grand Prix. He also secured a fifth-place finish in the Singapore Sprint race. He leads teammate Arvid Lindblad by 37 points in the standings.
In qualifying, Lawson holds an 11-6 advantage over Lindblad. His consistent form has also been recognized in F1’s Power Rankings. He sits fourth overall with an average rating of 7.6 out of 10.
Racing Bulls Team Principal Alan Permane confirmed on October 11, 2026, that the team has yet to finalize its 2027 driver lineup. Permane stated a decision would be made “in the coming weeks.”
The team is considering three drivers for two seats. These include current drivers Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, alongside Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov. Red Bull has already confirmed its own 2027 driver pairing.
Arvid Lindblad, a rookie in 2026, currently holds 11th place in the Drivers’ Championship with 38 points. He was promoted to Formula 1 with Racing Bulls for the current season. This followed a successful 2025 Formula 2 campaign.
Nikola Tsolov is a leading contender in the 2026 Formula 2 Championship. He has secured three consecutive F2 victories, including the Silverstone Feature Race on July 5, 2026. Tsolov also led the F2 Drivers’ Championship earlier in the season.
Hinchcliffe acknowledged that both Lindblad and Tsolov present strong cases for a Racing Bulls seat. However, he maintains that Lawson’s performance warrants his retention for another season.
Permane, who became Racing Bulls Team Principal in July 2025, has previously emphasized stability within the team. He indicated confidence in the existing structure and driver lineup.
