As Crash.net reports, Liam Lawson finds himself fighting for his Formula 1 career with zero guarantees about his 2027 seat at Racing Bulls. That is the brutal reality of the junior squad environment, even for a driver currently sitting ninth in the 2026 world championship standings as the leading midfield competitor.
Lawson's on-track response to the pressure has been nothing short of brilliant. At the Mexico City Grand Prix, he charged all the way from the pitlane to finish seventh, pushing his total points haul to 83. That tally is more than double the output of his rookie F1 team-mate Arvid Lindblad. Yet, those standout drives might not suffice to secure a future for the 24-year-old Kiwi at Red Bull's sister team.
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.
"I'm trying my best. Every weekend I'm trying to maximise," Lawson told Sky Sports F1. "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."
The threat to his cockpit comes directly from Formula 2 championship contender Nikola Tsolov. The Red Bull junior stepped into Lawson's machine for a practice outing in Mexico City and immediately turned heads.
"Honestly, [Tsolov's] performance on Friday was superb. It was his first time in the car, and he integrated into the team absolutely perfectly," Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer told Austrian outlet ORF. "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."
Bayer acknowledged that the general consensus in the paddock points to Lawson having done everything possible to keep his drive. However, he also pointed to the outfit's core mission as F1's primary talent nursery, having already ushered 22 drivers into the grand prix grid, including none other than Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen (yes, that Max Verstappen). Ultimately, the final call remains with Alan Permane.
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