The dispute for places within the Red Bull family promises to gain new chapters in the coming months. Even living his best season in the category, Liam Lawson sees his future surrounded by uncertainties given the rise of Nikola Tsolov in Formula 2.
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Lawson has been one of the main highlights of 2026, accumulating 39 points in the first ten rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season. His performance helped Racing Bulls catch Alpine in the fight for fifth position in the constructors’ championship, reinforcing his importance to the Faenza team.
Despite the results, the New Zealander’s permanence in the Red Bull program is far from guaranteed. This is because Tsolov has been attracting attention in the junior categories and currently leads the standings in Formula 2.
The young Bulgarian driver built a 27-point lead over Gabriele Minì, second in the championship. The consistent campaign fueled speculation that he would already be destined to occupy one of the Racing Bulls seats next season, possibly alongside Arvid Lindblad.
However, the situation is still open. According to Alan Permane, head of Racing Bulls, any decision about Tsolov’s future will only be made later, as the season progresses.
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The manager’s statements indicate that Red Bull intends to carefully evaluate its options before defining its lineup for 2027. With Lawson delivering important results and Tsolov consolidating his position as one of motorsport’s main promises, the team may end up having more candidates than available spots.
The scenario becomes even more interesting due to the fact that Racing Bulls apparently has three strong names for only two cars. In addition to Lawson and Tsolov, Arvid Lindblad also appears as an important piece in the plans of the structure commanded by Red Bull.
For now, the only certainty is that no definitive decision has been made. While Lawson seeks to maintain his good momentum in Formula 1, Tsolov continues to build his candidacy in Formula 2, leaving Red Bull facing a choice that could influence the future of its driver program.
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