Red Bull Racing is expected to announce in the coming days the contract renewals that will define its driver lineup for the 2027 Formula 1 season. The decisions involve Isack Hadjar in the main team and Liam Lawson in Racing Bulls, but Nikola Tsolov’s progress in F2 has made the scenario more complex.
Hadjar appears as the name closest to a new deal after a consistent start to the season alongside Max Verstappen. The 21-year-old Frenchman achieved seven consecutive results in the top six before the August break, although a wrist fracture during the break kept him out of the last three rounds, in Zandvoort, Monza, and Madrid.
Team principal Laurent Mekies had already indicated that Hadjar’s situation was heading towards a renewal. After the Hungarian GP, the manager stated: “We haven’t discussed the future yet, but everyone can see that Isack is doing an excellent job. So, we will make a logical decision.” Before the break, Mekies also highlighted the importance of having a strong second driver.
While Hadjar seems to have a settled situation, Lawson’s seat at Racing Bulls faces greater uncertainty. Tsolov leads the Formula 2 championship with 177 points, with three rounds remaining, and Alan Permane, Racing Bulls’ team principal, described the 19-year-old Bulgarian as ‘next in line’ for a promotion to F1.
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The most likely scenario points to Lawson and Lindblad at Racing Bulls in 2027, with Tsolov taking on a reserve driver role within the Red Bull ‘family,’ a position currently held by Yuki Tsunoda, who has already stated he no longer wants to be a reserve. However, the Bulgarian driver’s run in the F2 title fight could lead Red Bull to accelerate his promotion, while Lawson acknowledged the importance of his recent opportunities, telling Formula1.com that his races in the main team substituting the injured Hadjar ‘were three strong weekends overall.’
Red Bull also still needs to decide if Hadjar will be fit to return at the Azerbaijan GP at the end of this month. As a result, contract announcements may happen even before confirmation of the Frenchman’s physical condition for Baku.
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