Liam Lawson goes into the Austin United States Grand Prix weekend still without confirmation of a Racing Bulls seat for 2027. His double-points result in Singapore strengthened his case, but the team is weighing three drivers—Lawson, Arvid Lindblad and Formula 2 contender Nikola Tsolov—for two places.
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What’s at stake for Lawson
Lawson finished fifth in the Singapore Sprint and seventh in the Grand Prix. He has scored points in 12 of 17 races, according to reporting on his season, and those results add weight to his case for staying.
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But strong form has not settled the decision. When asked whether Singapore should secure his future, Lawson replied, “you tell me.”
5 Racing Bulls has not announced its 2027 drivers.
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Tsolov is a contender, not a confirmed replacement
Team principal Alan Permane has described a three-into-two choice and said the team was “not in a rush,” with a decision expected in the coming weeks.
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21 Lindblad is widely expected to retain one of the seats, leaving Lawson and Tsolov competing for the other, but that expectation is not an official team decision.
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Formula 2 chief Bruno Michel has called Tsolov ready for Formula 1 while making clear that readiness does not guarantee a 2027 race seat.
25 Reports have also floated a reserve role for Tsolov, but that has not been confirmed.
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Pundits disagree on the likely outcome
Predictions about Lawson’s future are mixed. Sky F1 reporter Ted Kravitz has argued Racing Bulls should not drop Lawson after his Singapore performance.
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11 Ralf Schumacher, by contrast, has predicted that Tsolov will get the seat, while acknowledging Lawson’s good work.
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Other reporting has suggested Lawson and Lindblad could be retained, but it also notes that no official announcement has been made.
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28 These are forecasts, not confirmation of Racing Bulls’ plans.
What Lawson has said about a possible Red Bull exit
A report says Lawson addressed the possibility of leaving the Red Bull programme.
29 However, the available source details do not establish his precise comments about leaving after 2027 for a better chance of winning, or substantiate the specific criticism of Red Bull’s decision-making described in some accounts. Those details should not be presented as confirmed without a fuller, attributable report.
Austin focus—and a concert appearance
Lawson’s immediate track focus is the United States Grand Prix weekend in Austin. He is also scheduled to headline Racing Bulls’ Garage Sessions concert on October 22, performing with his brother and childhood friends.
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The clearest read on his F1 future is still uncertainty: Singapore improved his case, but the team has not made its choice public. Until it does, both Lawson’s retention and Tsolov’s possible promotion remain open possibilities.