Red Bull make public declaration on axing Liam Lawson | F1 | Sport
Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane has moved to quell talk of Liam Lawson potentially losing his place on the Formula 1 grid. The New Zealander’s future has been a hot topic of discussion in recent days after a rumour, which began with a report on a Spanish website, suggested he could be axed to make room for Nikola Tsolov.
The Bulgarian racer is part of the Red Bull driver academy and is going well in Formula 2 this season. Aged 19, he already has three wins at that level and is a contender for the title this year and that has led to talk of a bright future ahead in single-seater racing.
The Spanish report claimed that Red Bull had already moved to secure it and pledged to give a 2027 seat at junior outfit Racing Bulls to Tsolov. Such an outcome would place Lawson in serious jeopardy unless Max Verstappen does decide to quit Red Bull, as room would have to be made and neither Isack Hadjar nor talented British teenager Arvid Lindblad are likely to be let go.
But Permane has been quick to rubbish talk of either of his drivers being replaced. The Racing Bulls team principal said at the Austrian Grand Prix on Friday that he is “very happy” with both of them, adding: “They’re doing everything that we’re asking of them and I’m asking of them. They’re concentrating well, working hard and delivering on track, which is the important thing of course.”
In response, Sky Sports presenter Natalie Pinkham asked Permane: “So these wild rumours we’re hearing about Nikola Tsolov, are they just that, rumours?” And, without hesitation, the Racing Bulls chief replied: “They’re just rumours. Honestly, we haven’t even discussed it, not at all.”
When asked if Tsolov is on his radar, Permane did concede: “Of course – he’s in the Red Bull programme and he’s doing very well in F2. But I’m very happy with the two that I have at the moment. And, at the moment, there’s no discussion at all.” Tsolov does not yet have an FIA superlicence and so he is ineligible to take part in practice sessions. Japanese Super Formula driver Ayumu Iwasa drove Lawson’s car in FP1 at the Red Bull Ring on Friday.
Lawson, 24, has 42 starts to his name in what has been a very disjointed F1 career so far. He was called up for a five-race stint in 2023 to cover for the injured Daniel Ricciardo, and replaced the Australian a year later for his first full-time drive. He was swiftly promoted to the senior Red Bull team for the 2025 season after Sergio Perez was axed.
But his time as Verstappen’s team-mate was brutally short as he was demoted again after just two race weekends. He did enough over the rest of the season to retain his seat for 2026 and has performed well up to now. His 28 points from the first seven rounds of the year put him 10th in the drivers’ championship and have helped Racing Bulls to stay in touch with rivals Alpine in the fight for fifth place in the constructors’
