Lawson still in limbo over F1 future: ‘I have no idea’

Liam Lawson has spent his first full season in Formula 1 season proving he’s worthy of a spot among the sport’s elite – and doing so under circumstances far more turbulent than most newcomers face.

Demoted from Red Bull to Racings Bulls after just two rounds, the Kiwi has fought back with six points finishes and an eye-catching fifth place in Azerbaijan. Yet as strong as his performances have been, one question continues to hang over him: will he still be on the grid next year?

With Max Verstappen the only Red Bull driver confirmed for 2026, the silly season spotlight has turned into a blinding floodlight for those around him.

Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda are effectively scrapping for a single Racing Bulls seat, while Isack Hadjar is strongly tipped for a Red Bull promotion and teenager Arvid Lindblad lurks as an outside contender for a debut.

In that unpredictable cocktail, Lawson remains the calm centre – but even he admits he’s operating with no visibility on his future.

Lawson's First Big Test

Lawson knows the stakes for a rookie better than anyone. Making it over the first-season hump, he says, is the hardest part of becoming established in Formula 1.

“Your first year in F1 is the most important,” he said. “It is really the year where you improve, whether you stay in the sport, and I think more guys probably lose their drive after one or two seasons of Formula 1 rather than multiple seasons.

“Once you secure a seat for a few years, you are known to be a valuable driver.”

And he’s done everything possible to show he merits that label. While Racing Bulls have fluctuated in performance, Lawson’s consistency and maturity have stood out – particularly considering he entered the year expecting far more stability than what the senior team’s decisions ultimately provided.

Red Bull’s Decision Drags On

Unfortunately, performance alone isn’t enough to secure certainty in the Red Bull ecosystem, where timelines tend to move – and then move again.

The organisation has now delayed its driver announcement until at least Abu Dhabi, leaving both Lawson and Tsunoda in the dark during one of the tightest midfield Constructors’ battles in years.

Asked if he has any sense of when the call might come, Lawson was blunt.

“Honestly, I have absolutely no idea. I would expect it to be towards the end, if not a the end of the season,” he said.

“Both teams are in a very important Constructors’ [title] race. And I think to give the best opportunity possible for both teams, that’s the reasoning of this [delay], I would say.

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“But for that, I would say they’re going to push it as late as they can. But obviously, I don’t know.”

For Lawson, all that remains is to keep delivering — and keep making the decision as difficult as possible for the team that holds his fate.

Whether that secures his future or simply tightens the fight, he’ll take every lap as another chance to show he deserves to stay.

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