Nikola Tsolov’s FP1 appearance for Racing Bulls in Mexico has put the team’s 2027 driver line-up under fresh scrutiny. The Formula 2 frontrunner has also gained Formula 1 mileage through testing at Imola and is now firmly in contention for a future race seat.
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane previously described the situation as three drivers competing for two places. The other contenders are current drivers Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson. Isack Hadjar has already been confirmed alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull, leaving no expected change at the senior team.
Lindblad, the only rookie on the 2026 grid, has impressed this season and has said he is concentrating on his performance rather than the seat decision. He noted that he has been part of Red Bull for a long time and is not spending much energy worrying about his future.
Lawson’s position has also strengthened. He has regularly reached Q3 and scored points with Racing Bulls, while also filling in for the injured Hadjar at Red Bull. The New Zealander said the team’s second half of the season had been particularly strong and that he was focused on collecting as many points as possible.
Lawson added that he would feel he had done what he could even if he did not remain on the grid next year. He also pointed to his Red Bull appearances as a chance to answer doubts that followed his difficult start with the senior team in 2025, saying the experience helped demonstrate that he could drive the car.
The three-way contest leaves Red Bull’s management with a difficult choice: Tsolov is pushing for promotion, while Lindblad and Lawson have each made a case to retain their places.
Sources: Formula 1.