Liam Lawson warned he’s just keeping Racing Bulls ‘seat warm’ after signing 2026 F1 deal

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Liam Lawson might have been one of the final drivers to be confirmed for the 2026 Formula 1 season, but that doesn’t mean he can relax going into next year.

Red Bull are notoriously difficult to please, and unless your name is Max Verstappen, it’s very hard to guarantee any sort of future with the team.

Yuki Tsunoda learned that after five years of being offered one-year rolling contracts, a year alongside the Dutchman was enough to convince Red Bull bosses he wasn’t worth retaining for next season.

Isack Hadjar is the latest driver to be set the challenge of racing alongside Verstappen, while Arvid Lindblad is set to be the only rookie on the grid in 2026.

How would you rate Liam Lawson’s 2025 season out of 10?

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Lindblad’s job next season is to try and match Liam Lawson, who started to find his form again at the back end of the campaign following his swift promotion and demotion from Red Bull.

In Red Bull’s history, no driver who has ever lost a seat in the main team has ever returned, and Lawson’s chances of a second opportunity are small to say the least.

Journalist Stuart Codling believes that if the New Zealander wants to have a long-term future in Formula 1, he may already need to start looking elsewhere.

READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls F1 driver Liam Lawson? Everything you need to know

‘The faith has gone’ in Liam Lawson at Red Bull despite 2026 Racing Bulls contract

Racing Bulls only confirmed that Lawson and Lindblad would be their driver line-up for 2026, and when the news was announced, the 23-year-old said: “I’m really looking forward to racing with VCARB in 2026.

“It’s an opportunity I’ll continue to be grateful for as we enter a year of change in F1. I’m ready to get to work with the team as we prepare for the challenging season ahead.

“It’s going to be an exciting year, and I can’t wait to kick it off with my first pre-season with the team.”

Do any of these drivers need to change their ways in 2026?

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Codling was asked if he thinks Lawson is long for F1 on the Autosport Podcast and said: 

“Yeah, there’s a whiff of the Christian Kliens, the Vitantonio Liuzzis about his career.

“It feels like the faith has gone already and he’s just keeping his seat warm for someone else while they make their way through the junior formula.”

READ MORE: All to know about Racing Bulls from team principal to Red Bull affiliation

Who could Red Bull be preparing to replace Liam Lawson at Racing Bulls?

There are a host of drivers that will be aiming for Lawson’s race seat in the future.

Red Bull vetoed signing Alex Dunne from McLaren’s driver academy, but they still have plenty of options to choose from.

Tsunoda will be desperate to make an immediate return to the grid with either Red Bull team.

Remaining with Red Bull as a reserve driver means he’s an immediate option for Laurent Mekies or Alan Permane.

However, there are also plenty of junior options, with Ayumu Iwasa still attached to the team after winning the Super Formula series.

At Formula 2 level, Nikola Tsolov and Oliver Goethe are hoping to impress Red Bull bosses, while they have four drivers racing in Formula 3 in 2026.

Tsunoda is keeping his options open for 2026, but if Lawson or Lindblad struggles with the new regulations, then it won’t be long until he’s called upon.