Racing Bulls to decide Lawson or Tsolov for 2027 seat within weeks, says Permane

Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane has confirmed the squad will finalise its 2027 Formula 1 driver line-up within “a couple of weeks”, with incumbent Liam Lawson and Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov competing for the one remaining seat alongside Arvid Lindblad.

Speaking on Friday at the Singapore Grand Prix, Permane acknowledged the team faces a welcome but complicated selection problem. “Three doesn’t fit into two, of course, and we’re just going to take a little bit more time and make sure we get the right pairing for next year,” he said, describing all three candidates as “fantastic”.

Lindblad has secured his place at the team after a strong debut campaign, leaving Lawson and 19-year-old Bulgarian Tsolov to contest the remaining cockpit. Lawson, who was briefly promoted to Red Bull Racing in 2025 before returning to Racing Bulls, has impressed further in 2026 — including a stint deputising for the injured Isack Hadjar in the RB22 — and is widely seen as having done enough to merit another year at the junior outfit.

Tsolov, however, has been making a compelling case of his own in Formula 2, where he sits as one of the series’ leading performers and is next in the Red Bull junior pipeline. Promoting him alongside Lindblad would align with the team’s stated purpose of developing young talent for eventual Red Bull Racing promotion.

Permane was candid about the dual criteria the team applies when evaluating its options. “Top of the list is speed and pace and all that goes with that,” he said. “We’re in a slightly unique situation. We want to bring on young drivers, young talent, and we have one eye on them progressing in the future. So it’s not just about the here and now. It’s also about what they can do in the future.”

The decision carries significant implications for Lawson in particular. Having already navigated the unusual experience of being demoted from Red Bull Racing mid-season, a second successive year at Racing Bulls would represent a further test of patience — though his performances in 2026 have done little to diminish his standing within the Red Bull programme.

Permane gave no indication of which way the organisation is leaning, but suggested a resolution is close.