Simon Lazenby has heard ‘whispers’ that Racing Bulls may sign two new drivers and drop Liam Lawson

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Liam Lawson turned in a poor showing at a crucial time in Singapore last weekend. The Racing Bulls driver’s chances of staying on the 2025 grid have taken a hit.

Lawson crashed twice during practice at Marina Bay, and while his mechanics were able to get him out for qualifying, he was knocked out in 14th. Teammate Isack Hadjar once again reached Q3.

The New Zealander lost a further three places in the race for his worst result since the Bahrain GP back in April. It’s now three non-scores in four races, with a fantastic P5 in Baku looking like an outlier.

There was talk that Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda could reunite at Racing Bulls after they both struggled alongside Max Verstappen. However, Simon Lazenby believes both drivers could be dropped.

Simon Lazenby says Racing Bulls could snub both Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda

Speaking on Sky Sports’ F1 podcast, Lazenby said he’d heard ‘whispers’ that Racing Bulls could field an all-new line-up. Hadjar is expected to join Red Bull for 2026.

Red Bull are preparing Arvid Lindblad for an F1 debut, so he should fill one of the seats. The other could go to Alex Dunne.

It emerged after the Irishman’s split with McLaren that Helmut Marko is interested in Dunne, who races against Lindblad in Formula 2.

Lazenby’s colleague, Jamie Chadwick, says wholesale changes would make sense. Red Bull want to find drivers who can push Max Verstappen, and both Lawson and Tsunoda have failed to do so.

“I get the feeling that the early whispers are that you might get two new drivers in Racing Bulls next year,” said Lazenby.

Chadwick added: “I think they might, and if they do I think it’s very obvious that it’s because they are constantly looking to try and find the next Max Verstappen. They don’t want to find the next number two drivers, or just a driver that can be solid across the board.

“They want to find drivers that are the next superstars in Formula 1. If they, in my opinion, just keep the same line-up as they’ve got, then they know that those two drivers aren’t going to be Red Bull Racing drivers.

“They aren’t going to be drivers who are ever going to be within a tenth or so of Max, which is what they really need. Are they better off just trying something new, putting someone new in, a young driver, they might find [something] like they have with Isack Hadjar in the Racing Bulls.”

Ted Kravitz says Liam Lawson could still partner Alex Dunne

All hope isn’t lost for Lawson, though. Some at Red Bull have reservations over Lindblad, which could see him spend a second year in F2.

In this scenario, Dunne would partner Lawson at Racing Bulls, while Yuki Tsunoda would join Aston Martin as a reserve. Tsunoda’s backers, Honda, will supply Aston’s engines next year.

“There was a good story going around that Alex Dunne, having been released from his young driver programme at McLaren, is going to be picked up by Red Bull,” Kravitz explained.

“Whether that’s going to mean that Arvid Lindblad takes another year in Formula 2 and that it’s Alex Dunne in Racing Bulls, and that it’s Isack Hadjar in Racing Bulls and that Yuki Tsunoda goes to Aston Martin as a reserve driver…”

Chadwick pointed out that this move could only happen if Dunne acquires a superlicence. Lindblad has already received an exemption from the FIA.

“The big but on it, though, is that he doesn’t have a superlicence. He has to finish top three in F2 to get a superlicence. He fits the mould as the character of driver that he is, he’s aggressive and he’s fast and when you switch on the F2, he’s always there and he’s always exciting, he’s not had a consistent year. If they can actually physically take him, that’s the other thing. He might not even be an option.”