Racing Bulls announcement increases spotlight on looming F1 driver decision

Racing Bulls has heightened uncertainty over Liam Lawson’s Formula 1 future after announcing that Nikola Tsolov will replace him in FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Lawson is enjoying a strong second full-time season in F1 with the Racing Bulls squad, emerging as a consistent points scorer this year.

Ahead of this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix, he sits ninth in the standings, having also deputised at Red Bull for three rounds in place of the injured Isack Hadjar.

However, the strong form of rookie team-mate Arvid Lindblad, as well as Nikola Tsolov’s impressive Formula 2 campaign, have put Lawson’s future in doubt.

Tsolov to make FP1 debut in place of Lawson in Mexico

At present, both Racing Bulls seats are up for grabs, with Red Bull facing a major headache in deciding its sister team’s future.

On the matter, Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane recently said: “I don't want to give you a definite date. It's going to be in the coming weeks, let's say.

“I mean, we're in no rush. I think everyone knows we've got two fantastic drivers.

“We've got a fantastic driver in F2 at the moment, and they're all there and ready to go.

“But three doesn't fit into two, of course, and we're just going to take a little bit more time and make sure we get the right pairing for next year.”

Tsolov has stunned in his first full season in F2, having won six times for Campos Racing, while now sitting just seven points behind championship leader and incoming Haas driver Rafael Camara.

The Bulgarian will now get his F1 shot in an FP1 session this weekend in Mexico in place of Lawson.

“A big thank you to VCARB for giving me this opportunity in Mexico,” Tsolov said.

“Following my test with the team at Imola in August, I’m excited to take this next step, build on that experience and learn more about the car and the current regulations.

“I’ll focus on making the most of the session, working closely with the team and providing useful feedback.”

Is this Tsolov’s job interview?

Tsolov has already had some time in F1 machinery this year, completing a TPC at Imola in August.

An FP1 outing is the natural next step in his development with the Red Bull junior programme, but it comes at an intriguing time for Racing Bulls.

While what happens in FP1 won’t be the ultimate determining factor in 19-year-old Tsolov’s F1 chances for 2027, it could go a long way to solidifying his case.

However, it is also worth noting that 10 rookies will take part in FP1 in Mexico, with rules stipulating that both full-time drivers in a team need to step aside at some point in a season.

Permane said: “Running Nikola in FP1 is an important step in his development within the Red Bull Junior Programme.

“It reflects our commitment to nurturing emerging talent and giving our junior drivers valuable track time and the support they need to learn and develop.

“Having already worked with Nikola at Imola, we’re looking forward to seeing him build on that experience in Mexico and to the feedback he can provide to help support our preparations for the weekend.”