Liam Lawson 2027 Racing Bulls seat decision rests with team, says Laurent Mekies
Red Bull Racing team principal Laurent Mekies says he will not decide whether Liam Lawson keeps his Racing Bulls seat for 2027.
Laurent Mekies has said Liam Lawson's future at Racing Bulls is a decision for the Italian team, not Red Bull Racing. Lawson scored 89 points this season and finished seventh at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Key takeaways
- Laurent Mekies says Liam Lawson's fate is a Racing Bulls decision, not his.
- Lawson has scored 89 points this season, more than twice as many as any other midfield driver.
- Lawson finished seventh at the Brazilian Grand Prix, 36 seconds ahead of second-best midfielder Nico Hulkenberg.
- Rookie Arvid Lindblad is set to race in 2027, but his team-mate has not been confirmed.
- Nikola Tsolov was the favourite for the seat, but his form has dipped after six wins in the first half of the season.
Red Bull Racing team principal Laurent Mekies has said Liam Lawson's future at Racing Bulls has nothing to do with him, according to Motorsport.com. The Italian team will decide whether to retain Lawson or promote Nikola Tsolov for the 2027 Formula 1 season. Mekies made the comments after Lawson's seventh-place finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
What we know
com reported. He has been unbeaten by team-mate Arvid Lindblad on merit in qualifying and races over the last five rounds, collecting 30 points in that period. That total is more than George Russell's 26 over the same span.
In Brazil's tricky weather conditions, Lawson finished seventh again, 36 seconds ahead of second-best midfielder Nico Hulkenberg.
It's a Racing Bulls decision.
Why it matters
The 2027 driver line-up at Racing Bulls remains open, with Arvid Lindblad set to get a second campaign in the world championship, Motorsport.com reported. Tsolov was the favourite to get the seat, but his form has dipped after six wins in the first half of the season, partly due to suboptimal qualifying performance. Lawson's strong run strengthens his case for retention.
What happens next
Racing Bulls will make its own decision regarding its 2027 driver line-up, Motorsport.com said. Mekies said there is no reason for Red Bull to rush the call. Former Red Bull F1 bosses Christian Horner and Helmut Marko were understood to have input in such decisions in the past, but both are now gone.
I don't have to make a call.
By the numbers
Key figures from the sources
Driver | Points this season | Points in last five rounds | Brazil result |
|---|---|---|---|
Liam Lawson | 89 | 30 | Seventh |
George Russell | Not given | 26 | Not given |
Background
Laurent Mekies is a French Formula One engineer and team principal who joined the Red Bull organisation in 2024, according to Wikipedia. He led the Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team before becoming Chief Executive Officer and Team Principal of Red Bull Racing in July 2025. He previously worked at Ferrari, Toro Rosso, Minardi and the FIA.
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