Racing Bulls are the midfield's quiet assassins

It is time we stop looking past Racing Bulls. With their third consecutive double-points finish secured at the Austrian Grand Prix, they have cemented their sixth place in the standings and clawed their way to within 13 points of Alpine. While everyone fixates on the top four teams, this squad is putting together a masterclass in consistency.

Liam Lawson has been nothing short of a revelation, battling through mechanical gremlins—from a gearbox failure in Miami to breathing in cockpit smoke during the Austrian Grand Prix—to maintain his momentum. Meanwhile, the grid's only rookie, Arvid Lindblad, has shed his early-season nerves. After hitting his stride in Monaco with a P7 finish, the teenager has looked increasingly comfortable, proving that the team's faith in him was justified.

Team Principal Alan Permane has every reason to be pleased. After the team worked to bridge the gap between their qualifying pace and race performance, the results are now flowing. With upgrades arriving and a driver pairing that has clearly found its rhythm, the fight for P5 is officially on. If this continues, the 'best of the rest' title might just find a new home in Faenza and Milton Keynes.