Racing Bulls have confirmed that Liam Lawson will remain with the team for the 2027 Formula 1 campaign, alongside Arvid Lindblad for a second consecutive season.
They form a formidable duo this year as they propel the Racing Bulls to fifth place in the championship, which should be the best result ever achieved by the Anglo-Italian team.
Despite scoring 89 points, compared to 38 for rookie Lindblad, Lawson’s future was uncertain thanks to junior driver Nikola Tsolov, a star in F2 this year.
The 19-year-old Bulgarian is second in the standings and has been offered private testing opportunities and a Free Practice 1 session in Mexico as part of his junior driver duties.
Racing Bulls therefore weighed its need for short-term performance against its explicit objective of training young drivers for the parent team Red Bull.
But while Lawson has risen to the occasion in recent weeks, making some of his strongest runs under constant pressure, the 24-year-old has indeed been too good for the team to ignore.
Nikola Tsolov
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Sources told Autosport in Brazil last weekend that amid heavy pressure for senior company executives to back Tsolov, the pendulum swung back in Lawson’s favor with his performances in the Americas triple title.
The Kiwi therefore signed a new deal for 2027 with team boss Alan Permane, saying he had “no doubt” the team would field the strongest possible line-up next season.
“We are excited to continue with Liam and Arvid for 2027,” he said. “Both have demonstrated their abilities and potential throughout the season, and we have seen the progress they have made, both individually and as a duo.
“I have no doubt that this is the best crew for us, bringing a strong combination of experience and ambition.
“Together we have a strong foundation to build on the progress made this year, continue to excel and take the next step towards realizing our ambitions in 2027.”
Next year is set to be Lawson’s third full season in F1 after making his debut at Zandvoort towards the end of the 2023 campaign – with another partial season in 2024.
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
“I am very excited to continue with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls next year,” he said. “We had a brilliant season together and the team worked very hard to produce a fast car, which I loved driving.
“It’s great to be part of a historic season for the team as we continue our fight for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship. It’s a testament to everyone’s hard work, on track and in the factory.”
“I can’t wait to continue this moment with Arvid through 2027. We’re building something super positive and I’m excited about what we can achieve together.”
Lawson is currently eighth in the drivers’ standings and Lindblad 11th heading into the final three rounds: Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
“Looking back on my first season in Formula 1, it has been a truly special year, full of new experiences and learnings since the very first pre-season tests,” said 19-year-old Lindblad.
“I can’t wait to get started next year, building on everything I learned during my rookie season. It’s shaping up to be an exciting year and I can’t wait to continue driving alongside Liam.”
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