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Laurent Mekies at Web Summit in Lisbon on 11 November 2025. Archive photo. Resized and converted to WebP.

Mekies: Racing Bulls alone will choose its 2027 F1 line-up

Archive photograph: Laurent Mekies at Web Summit in Lisbon on 11 November 2025. Archive photo. Resized and converted to WebP. · 2025-11-11Archive photo · 2025-11-11 · Alex Broadway / Web Summit / Sportsfile · CC BY 4.0

Red Bull Racing CEO Laurent Mekies says Racing Bulls will decide its 2027 line-up without Max Verstappen’s input, separate from the clash with Liam Lawson in Mexico.

GPBeat · Newsroom01 Nov 2026, 07:54 · 1 min

Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal Laurent Mekies says Racing Bulls alone will decide its 2027 Formula 1 driver line-up, with Max Verstappen having no say.

Mekies made that distinction after Verstappen and Liam Lawson made contact during second practice at the Mexican Grand Prix on Friday. Both drivers received one-place grid penalties. After the session, Verstappen criticized Lawson’s behaviour, saying a driver fighting for his seat should act more carefully.

Mekies said some on-track actions had been unnecessary and frustrating for the drivers and teams involved, but separate from driver-selection decisions. He added that Verstappen knew the sport too well to be influenced by a single episode.

Lawson’s contract with Racing Bulls expires at the end of 2026.

Sources 01
  1. SOURCEMax Verstappen will have no say in 2027 Racing Bulls driver line-up, says Red Bull bossMotorsport.com F1

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