Stability has been the overarching theme of the Formula 1 driver market for the 2027 season, but as Crash.net reports, one major question mark remains. Racing Bulls stands as the single team on the grid yet to lock in its driver pairing for next year. While Haas also technically has an opening, it is only a matter of time before Ollie Bearman is formally confirmed alongside new signing Rafael Camara. For Racing Bulls, however, a classic three-doesn't-fit-into-two puzzle is playing out.
At the heart of the dilemma are current drivers Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, alongside Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov. Speaking at the Singapore Grand Prix, Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane declined to offer a definite date for the announcement, noting that the team is in no rush with three ready candidates. The ultimate call, however, rests in the hands of Red Bull shareholders Chalerm Yoovidhya and Mark Mateschitz, alongside Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff, because the drivers are contracted directly to Red Bull.
Performance is naturally driving the evaluation. Lawson has anchored Racing Bulls' midfield campaign with 75 points—including 14 scored during a three-race substitute stint at Red Bull—helping secure fifth place in the constructors' championship. The 24-year-old Kiwi serves as a reliable points scorer and a yardstick for the squad, though he has already had his look at the senior team. Alongside him, 19-year-old British rookie Lindblad has shown strong raw pace and consistency since Monaco, collecting 38 points across 17 races and finishing outside the top ten just twice.
Waiting in the wings is Tsolov, a 19-year-old looking to become the first Bulgarian to race in Formula 1. Enjoying a stellar debut full-season in Formula 2, Tsolov has taken six wins and sits second in the standings, just seven points behind Camara with only the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi remaining. A final decision on the 2027 line-up will likely wait until the season concludes, matching Permane's unhurried stance.
Red Bull faces a fascinating balancing act between immediate competitiveness and future potential. Keeping Lawson and Lindblad offers continuity and proven points, whereas promoting Tsolov alongside Lindblad would yield the most inexperienced line-up on the grid by some margin. At the same time, blocking Tsolov—especially if he captures the Formula 2 crown and cannot return to the series—presents its own problems. With Isack Hadjar already extended alongside Max Verstappen through 2030, the senior team is settled, leaving this final junior puzzle for the new management to solve without the famously ruthless Helmut Marko calling the shots for the first time in 20 years.
