Racing Bulls has confirmed an unchanged driver line-up for the 2027 Formula 1 season.
Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad will continue to drive for the team next year.The news ends speculation Red Bull’s second Formula 1 team would replace either of its drivers with Nikola Tsolov. The Red Bull junior driver lies second in the Formula 2 standings with four races remaining.
Shortly after Racing Bulls confirmed its driver line-up, Red Bull announced Tsolov as its reserve driver for 2027. Red Bull also announced Tsolov will be Racing Bulls’ reserve driver.
Racing Bulls is on course to score its best championship result under any of its identities, including its time competing as Minardi, before it was purchased by Red Bull at the end of 2005.
However Lawson’s future at the team came into doubt as Racing Bulls delayed its decision on its driver line-up for next year. Lawson made his F1 debut in 2023 and gained promotion to Red Bull in 2025 but the team dropped him after just two rounds. Lawson made a temporary return to Red Bull this year as a substitute for the injured Isack Hadjar.
During his time at Racing Bulls, Lawson has scored enough points to single-handedly put Racing Bulls fifth in the constructors’ championship. However he clashed with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen during a practice session in Mexico earlier this month, which his rival said was “not very smart behaviour” for a driver who was “fighting for [his] seat”. Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies denied his team would have any say in its junior squad’s driver line-up.
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Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane said Lawson and his rookie team mate Lindblad form “the best driver line-up for us, bringing a strong combination of experience and ambition”.
Tsolov said he hopes to make the step up to F1 after next year. “My ambition is clear: I want to become an F1 driver,” he said. “Having the opportunity to spend next year preparing for that next step is incredibly exciting.
“I’m confident that with the team’s support and experience, I’ll have the best possible preparation to make sure I’m fully ready to take the next step onto the F1 grid when the time comes.”
Mekies said Red Bull has been highly impressed by Tsolov. “Nikola is an exceptionally talented young driver, and we have been hugely impressed by his development and performances over the past few years,” he said.
“To fight for the championship in F3 and now challenge for the F2 title in his first full season says a great deal about his ability and determination. What has impressed us just as much is his maturity, his approach to racing and his willingness to keep learning and improving.
“We have enormous belief in Nikola’s potential and see him as a driver with a very exciting future in F1. This appointment reflects our confidence in him and our commitment to his continued development. Our focus in 2027 will be on giving him the experience, tools and support he needs to be ready to race in F1 next.”
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