Red Bull boss praises Liam Lawson but refuses to weigh in on 2027 decision
Laurent Mekies has praised Lawson's impressive recent form but insists the decision over his future rests with Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson’s future in Formula 1 continues to remain a mystery, as there has been no confirmation regarding his future with Racing Bulls.
Despite his recent performances, like his third-place starting position at the Brazil Grand Prix, it still remains uncertain whether he will retain his seat for 2027, or whether he will be replaced by Red Bull junior driver, Nikola Tsolov.
Lawson has played a major part in Racing Bulls finding themselves in fifth place in the constructors’ championship, yet he could still see his time with the team come to an end at the end of 2026.
Following the Brazil Grand Prix, where Lawson finished in eighth place, Red Bull Racing team principal, Laurent Mekies, was asked about his involvement in the Kiwi driver's future.
Mekies said, “I’ve said it several times, the Racing Bulls driver decisions are done through Racing Bulls.
“As much as yes, we run a common junior programme, we are in the unique position where, when the good guys are coming out from Racing Bulls, we obviously have the possibility to get them to be promoted to Red Bull Racing as we have done with Max and as we have done with Isack [Hadjar].
“But how we get to that point is down to them in terms of the F1 stint. And when it comes to Liam, I can only congratulate him for another very strong weekend.
"He has been on a fantastic run. He did a very good job with us in the three races where he had to jump in. It’s an incredible contrast compared to his experience here a year ago at the beginning of the year.
“And certainly, from that point, we all see that when you return back to Racing Bulls, he has shown on track another step again. And what he showed this weekend is the perfect representation of how strongly he’s now performing.”
In the past, Lawson raced for Red Bull, as he was promoted to the team in 2025 alongside Max Verstappen, but was dropped early in the season and replaced by Yuki Tsunoda.
However, earlier in 2026, Lawson was given a second chance with Red Bull as he replaced the injured Isack Hadjar for three Grands Prix.
After being asked about Lawson’s future again, Mekies added, “I’ve just spent three minutes trying to tell you that it’s a Racing Bulls decision. I’m not going to publicly vent my opinion so that it becomes the Red Bull Racing decision.
“No, no, it’s a Racing Bulls decision. They have all the data. They are very experienced.
“Alan [Permane] is a great guy. He understands racing better than most, and you know, it’s probably fair that these guys are taking their time because, from a Red Bull perspective, there is no reason to rush.”
