Liam Lawson says Racing Bulls is his only option as his F1 future hangs in the balance.
Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson has opened up about his current situation in F1, sharing how the team’s hesitation to decide his future has limited his options.
The Kiwi has been the standout midfield driver this year, easily the best outside the ‘Big Four’ of Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren. But now, at 24, his team is thinking about bringing in fresh talent.
After a tough first full season last year, where he was dropped by Red Bull after just two races, Lawson has rebuilt his reputation with the junior squad. He’s scored points in 14 of the 19 races so far and, alongside teammate Arvid Lindblad, helped the team secure fifth place in the 2026 constructors’ standings.
Having been part of the Red Bull junior program for several years, Lawson is now one of the more experienced drivers there. With Isack Hadjar moving up to the senior team, it looks like Lawson’s path forward is unclear — especially with Red Bull Junior Nikola Tsolov fighting for the F2 championship and likely to get a shot at F1.
When asked if he’ll stay with Racing Bulls next year, Lawson told Sky F1, “I don’t know. Every weekend I’m giving my best, and I feel we’ve had a strong year. We’re doing well, fighting Alpine and pulling ahead every race. I don’t know what more they want from me. It’s just one of those things right now.”
Asked about other F1 options outside Red Bull, Lawson sounded less hopeful: “It’s tough. It’s the end of the season, and when decisions get pushed this far, you’re left without many choices. It’s not an easy position. I want to race in F1 and keep showing my best every weekend, and I think we’ve had a good year.”
At the moment, Cadillac is the only other team with an open seat for next year, but Lawson would be a backup choice behind their American test driver Colton Herta.
Though Lawson’s words hinted at some frustration, team boss Alan Permane explained that the delay in deciding comes from a new team strategy. Under former leaders Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, Red Bull was quick to judge drivers, but Permane says they’re now taking a more careful approach.
“Red Bull has had a very successful young driver program, but sometimes decisions were made too quickly,” he told reporters at the Sao Paulo GP. “Now we’re trying to use more data and take our time. We’re looking at everything carefully, and we’re in no rush.”
Permane added, “I know it’s frustrating for the drivers and everyone involved, but we want to make the right choice. I’m confident when we announce it in the next few weeks, people will be happy.”