Liam Lawson has conceded that Racing Bulls have offered him no certainty over his place in the team's cockpit for the 2027 season, leaving his Formula 1 future hanging in the balance as the squad weighs up alternatives. According to Sky Sports, the 24-year-old has emerged as the leading midfield competitor in the drivers' championship, with his position threatened by a rising junior prospect.
The New Zealand driver occupies ninth place in the standings with 83 championship points after the Mexico City Grand Prix, ahead of every other driver outside the top four teams. His tally dwarfs that of his rookie team-mate Arvid Lindblad, and he underscored his credentials by securing seventh place in Mexico despite beginning from the pit lane.
Yet Racing Bulls remain the sole Formula 1 outfit to have publicly confirmed neither of its two drivers for next year. The threat to Lawson's tenure stems from Nikola Tsolov, a Red Bull junior and Formula 2 title contender, whose impressive showing in Friday practice at Mexico has caught the attention of team management.
When asked about his prospects, Lawson offered a candid assessment of his predicament.
I'm trying my best. Every weekend I'm trying to maximise. In Mexico I gave it everything. There's definitely no assurance at the moment [for next year]. It's a tough sport. Right now, I don't know what else to say, really.
Tsolov, the 19-year-old Bulgarian driver, has earned considerable respect within Red Bull's talent pipeline. The teenager is locked in a fierce battle for the Formula 2 championship in his debut season, having finished as runner-up in Formula 3 the previous year. His credentials were bolstered when he made his Formula 1 practice debut in Mexico, where he came within a tenth of a second of Lindblad's pace—a performance that impressed Racing Bulls leadership.
Racing Bulls chief executive Peter Bayer acknowledged the Bulgarian's standout showing.
Honestly, [Tsolov's] performance on Friday was superb. It was his first time in the car, and he integrated into the team absolutely perfectly.Bayer noted that
Regarding the driver decision, he put in a fantastic performance. That decision rests with [team principal] Alan [Permane], and he will make it, or rather, announce it when he feels the time is right.
Before his Mexico appearance, Tsolov had completed a 690-kilometre test at Imola, giving him valuable seat time in a Racing Bulls machine ahead of his practice session debut.
When pressed on whether Lawson has exhausted all avenues to secure his future, Bayer offered qualified support.
That's the general consensus in the paddock.However, he balanced this with Racing Bulls' broader mission.
At the same time, our role, as the leading developer of talent in Formula 1, is to continuously bring new drivers through. We've brought 22 drivers into Formula 1, including the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and others.
Bayer made clear that the final decision rests with team principal Alan Permane.
That's why I say that, at the end of the day, the decision lies with Alan. And he will make the right choice for the team. We chatted about that briefly on Saturday.According to Yahoo Sports, Bayer has backed Lawson as having done everything to prove himself, though the final call remains with Permane.
Uncertainty across the 2027 grid
Lawson's predicament is part of a broader reshuffling of the Formula 1 driver market as teams finalise their lineups for the coming season. Racing Bulls' indecision stands out as the most glaring gap in the grid's confirmation process.
Valtteri Bottas' position at Cadillac remains precarious despite his multi-year contract that commenced at the start of this year. The American team is pursuing a path to integrate Formula 2 driver Colton Herta as a full-time competitor, with the American currently just one point shy of qualifying for a super licence.
Cadillac have deployed Herta across five practice sessions this season in pursuit of super licence points. A super licence is the mandatory credential required to drive full-time in Formula 1, earned by accumulating 40 points through performances in categories such as Formula 2, Formula 3 and IndyCar. The team intends to run Herta again in first practice at the São Paulo Grand Prix this Friday, where completing 100 kilometres would secure him the additional point needed to reach the 40-point threshold.
Cadillac team principal Marcin Budkowski explained the rationale behind the push for an American driver.
It is important (for Cadillac to have an American driver). It's an American team, it races under an American flag. I think you've seen in Austin that we're building a strong American identity as well. It's great to have an American driver, it increases the hype.He added, however, that timing remained crucial.
But it's also a question of timing. The right driver, when the team is ready for it, and so we're assessing this.
At Haas, the situation surrounding Oliver Bearman's future has become a source of frustration. The team announced last month that Formula 2 championship leader Rafael Camara will replace Esteban Ocon in 2027, but has not yet confirmed Bearman's seat. Both driver and team principal Ayao Komatsu have recently expressed optimism that an extension will materialise, though the delay has fuelled speculation.
Bearman acknowledged the ongoing negotiations.
There are a few things in the background that we're working on, but it's been very clear that continuing with Haas will be my target, and we're just finalising a few things on that front.When asked why the announcement has not yet been made, the 21-year-old was candid.
It's not really in my hands, I can tell you that. If it was up to me, it would have already been announced a long time ago. But there are a few bigger-picture things that we're working on.
Komatsu dismissed reports claiming that salary demands from Bearman are holding up the deal.
I have no idea where that comes from. I've experienced this sometimes this season as well. People say there's no smoke without fire but really some people will invent a story.The Haas principal pointed to previous unfounded rumours as evidence of misinformation in the paddock.
What happened in Miami? Apparently, I had an argument with (Bearman's team-mate) Esteban Ocon. There's just absolutely zero truth in it and even those people claiming that they had some insider information etc, absolute total nonsense.
Komatsu expressed bewilderment at the specific salary figure that had circulated.
This one again I don't know who smoked up this six-million euros number. The first time I saw it on Instagram, or Stu [Morrison, Haas press officer] forwarded it to me, and I was just like, 'oh another great… somebody has come up and stirred up whatever'.He concluded by dismissing the entire narrative.
I have no comments to make because it's just not even close to the truth. Why do we engage in such an absolute nonsense? What's the point of it?
What happens next
The Formula 1 circus moves to Brazil this weekend, with the São Paulo Grand Prix scheduled for November 6–8, 2026. The event marks the final leg of a triple-header and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
Cadillac's plan to run Herta in first practice on Friday could prove decisive in his super licence pursuit, with the American needing just one more point to become eligible for full-time Formula 1 competition. Meanwhile, Racing Bulls' driver decision remains unresolved, with Lawson and Tsolov both competing for the same seat as the season enters its closing stages.
