Formula 1: Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane’s cryptic update on Liam Lawson’s future
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane has doubled down on the team not being rushed in deciding next year’s driver pairing, but has teased “everyone will be happy” when they do.
Entering the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend, Racing Bulls are the only team on the grid title="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/motorsport/formula-1/liam-lawsons-racing-bulls-seat-still-at-risk-after-mexico-city-grand-prix-drive/Y3CCLM4LENEWPKLXLSASOYCTLY/">yet to confirm either of its drivers for the 2027 Formula One season.
While Arvid Lindblad is expected to be retained, Liam Lawson finds himself in a fight with Red Bull junior driver Nikola Tsolov to retain his seat.
That comes despite the strongest season of the Kiwi’s career, so far. With 83 points from 19 grands prix and six sprints, Lawson is comfortably clear in ninth in the drivers’ championship, 41 ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in the fight to be the “best of the rest” – the highest-placed outside the sport’s top four teams.
On top of that, Lawson has scored the bulk of Racing Bulls’ 106 points as they fight to finish fifth in the constructors’ championship and bank an estimated $180 million for doing so – what would be the best result in the team’s history.
However, in spite of that, Racing Bulls’ purpose as a feeder team into Red Bull also appears to be playing a role in which of Lawson or Tsolov will get the 2027 seat.
Sources have told the Herald that Lawson’s card with Red Bull is effectively marked after his two-race stint with the team before he was demoted in 2025, despite a strong three-race cameo filling in for the injured Isack Hadjar this year.
Tsolov, meanwhile, has already been described by Permane as the next driver in line for promotion, as and when the time comes, after a maiden Formula Two campaign in which he is seven points off the championship lead.
Speaking between Friday practice sessions at Interlagos, after his own contract with Racing Bulls was extended, Permane gave nothing away.
“I’m not going to give you a date,” he said. “Red Bull has a very successful young driver programme.
“I don’t want to be critical of it, but I think if [media] are critical of it, maybe sometimes drivers haven’t been able to have enough time to settle.
“Some snap decisions have been made. We’re trying to apply a little bit of science, and that takes some time. We’re looking at everything and studying, analysing.
“Time is on our side. We’re not in a rush to do anything. I’m very confident the right decision will be made.
“I realise it’s frustrating for our drivers, I realise it’s frustrating for everyone else. But we want to get it right – we will get it right.
“I’m sure when we announce it in the coming weeks, everyone will be happy.”
Permane’s input is key in deciding which driver will get the nod. After last week’s Mexico City Grand Prix, where Lawson went from pit lane to cross the line ninth before being upgraded to seventh, Racing Bulls chief executive Peter Bayer namechecked Permane as being the man to make the call.
And asked directly what the team was looking for, Permane explained the decision isn’t as straightforward as it might seem.
“The main factors are, as always, pace and speed. That’s the first thing we look for.
“But we’re not just a team that exists solely to compete. We’re here to bring young talent through, so we have to keep an eye on that.
“That doesn’t mean we necessarily keep churning young talent through the car. We maybe need to have some experience as well to measure that talent against. It’s not an easy decision.
“I understand and get the frustration from everyone. I get the frustration from my drivers. However, they’re both performing excellently.
“I don’t know if that frustration is helping, maybe they’ll be even better when those decisions are made.”
Herald sources have previously indicated Lawson and Lindblad will be retained; however, it was also said that the announcement would come before the end of October.
Speaking on Friday (NZ time), Lawson indicated he has no “Plan B” if he loses his seat at Racing Bulls. That appears to shut down any links to Cadillac, who are reportedly weighing up Valtteri Bottas’ future with the team, albeit after American hopeful Colton Herta completed the requirements to obtain an FIA super licence in Brazilian practice.
Asked specifically if Racing Bulls would look at a situation where Tsolov would be confirmed for 2028, and leave Lawson and Lindblad battling over the course of the next year to partner him, Permane gave nothing away.
“All solutions are possible,” he said. “I’m not going to give you any clues on what we’re going to do.
“We’re almost there, but we’re not finalised. I’m not going to say one thing or another – nice try though.”
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.