Lawson-Lindblad pairing points to a broader role for Racing Bulls

Racing Bulls will keep Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad for 2027, pairing a driver with 55 Grands Prix behind him with a teammate whose Formula 1 debut came in 2026. The choice puts experience alongside a young driver still developing in F1.

Racing Bulls was long a proving ground for Red Bull-backed youngsters hoping to earn promotion to the senior team. But those promotions did not always last: Pierre Gasly returned to the sister team after half a season alongside Max Verstappen, Alex Albon left Red Bull after a year and a half, and Lawson was sent back after just two races alongside Verstappen at the start of 2025.

In the closing races of 2026, Lawson had to prove himself for a longer stay. He produced several strong performances and is ninth in the championship standings.

That does not mean the junior pathway is disappearing. Lindblad is continuing after his 2026 debut; 19-year-old Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov could still win the 2026 Formula 2 title, but will take a test-and-reserve role in 2027 rather than a race seat.

The sister team has made room for experience before. Daniel Ricciardo returned in 2023, at 35, to replace Nyck de Vries. An injury interrupted his stint after two races and opened the door to Lawson’s F1 debut. Ricciardo came back later in 2023 and represented the team at the start of 2024. He had already spent five seasons at Red Bull and also raced for Renault and McLaren.

At the announcement of Lawson’s new contract, team principal Alan Permane described the lineup as a blend of experience and ambition. He said it gives Racing Bulls a base to build on its progress in 2026 and move toward its goals in 2027.

Racing Bulls is not ending Red Bull’s junior pipeline: Lindblad remains in the race lineup and Tsolov in the programme. But Ricciardo’s 2023 return showed another use for the team: an experienced driver could bring data and points while young talent was still being developed. Lawson’s retention, alongside Permane’s emphasis on Racing Bulls’ own progress, suggests competitive development is now a goal in its own right—not merely a by-product of preparing drivers for Red Bull.