Racing Bulls F1 boss still isn’t convinced that keeping Liam Lawson is essential

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Liam Lawson will embark on his first full season as a Racing Bulls driver in 2026.

That statement alone highlights the instability that has characterised Lawson’s career. He was initially a substitute for the injured Daniel Ricciardo in 2023, then a permanent replacement at the end of the following season.

His infamous two-race stint at Red Bull followed, but now he has finally settled at the sister team. Lawson salvaged his 2025 season in commendable fashion, scoring 38 points to finish 14th in the championship.

That was enough to stay on the grid for 2026, at the expense of Yuki Tsunoda, but it doesn’t guarantee his future beyond this year. After losing out to a rookie Isack Hadjar last year, one suspects that he must beat teenager Arvid Lindblad.

Liam Lawson told how to make himself undroppable in 2026

Speaking to GPBlog, Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane hinted that he still has doubts about Lawson. At this stage, he doesn’t believe it’s essential that they keep him for 2027.

To convince him, Lawson needs to eliminate his off weekends. He finished 14th or lower six times in his 22 starts for Racing Bulls last term.

Lawson also retired from five races in 2025, with four of those DNFs due to damage. He has been accused of getting involved in too many incidents.

What is Liam Lawson’s CEILING in Formula 1?

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“What I would like from him is I would like to get him to the stage where we want to keep him here,” said Permane.

“I want him to deliver so that we think, wow, we’ve got to hang on to this guy. He’s really good.

“The good stuff is good, it’s there. And just to eliminate the poor, unexplained results that sometimes come.

“I think then I think once you can do that, the rest will start snowballing and improve.”

Alan Permane and Racing Bulls have formed an unusual plan for Liam Lawson

It’s unusual to see a Racing Bulls boss be so blunt about one of their drivers, even if Permane has only been in the job since last summer.

The team typically work with young drivers, and their patient approach has tended to offset the ruthlessness of Red Bull’s senior management.

But Permane, who says Lawson’s down days are ‘inexplicable’, has clearly formed an alternative plan for the 23-year-old. He may find criticism to be a bigger motivator than reassurance.

David Coulthard has hinted that Lawson may have to leave the Red Bull family eventually. If he performs well enough that he attracts serious interest from elsewhere, that will be good news as far as Permane is concerned.