Lawson still lacks guaranteed 2027 Formula 1 seat
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 26, 2026
Lawson future unclear
Liam Lawson still does not have a guaranteed 2027 Formula 1 seat, and he is leaving the talk about his future to the people who control it. The Racing Bulls driver said he is not spending his time thinking about a seat announcement and is focused on enjoying the races. That stance fits the way his season has unfolded. Lawson has scored points in three straight Grands Prix and has finished outside the top 10 only once all year. He has turned that consistency into a solid hold on ninth place in the drivers’ championship with 77 points. He also has put distance between himself and Pierre Gasly, opening a 35-point gap in the standings. The broader picture around Racing Bulls has helped his case too. The team has stayed in the thick of the midfield fight, and Lawson’s results have helped the outfit’s season picture while the final call on his future still sits with Red Bull’s hierarchy. For now, the numbers show a driver who has delivered enough to keep himself in the conversation, even if the destination beyond this season remains undecided.
Austin qualifying call
Lawson’s latest weekend also showed how Racing Bulls is managing details to protect the bigger result. At United States Grand Prix qualifying, he sat out Q3 so the team could give Arvid Lindblad the higher starting position. Lindblad carried a five-place grid penalty, so the move gave Racing Bulls a better chance to maximize its grid slot and its race-day options. Both drivers reached Q3, which marked a strong midfield performance for the team. Lawson did not run in the final segment and was classified 10th without setting a time. He said he wanted to drive in Q3 but accepted the team’s call, and he pointed to tire preservation as part of the reasoning behind the decision. That fit the way the session unfolded and the way Racing Bulls approached the weekend as a whole. Lawson’s role in the strategy was clear, he gave up a shot at a final flying lap to support the team’s race plan. The call left him with less individual visibility in qualifying, but it still reflected a team-first approach inside a tight midfield battle where small advantages can shape the race.
Racing Bulls progress
The race itself backed up the strategy. Lawson finished ninth in Austin and scored two points in the United States Grand Prix, a result that added to both his own total and Racing Bulls’ season picture. He said the team got the most out of the weekend because the top four teams filled the first eight places, which limited the number of points available to the midfield. That made every place on the road to the top 10 more valuable, and Lawson delivered one of the slots Racing Bulls needed. The result also moved him to 77 points for the season and kept him ninth in the drivers’ championship, which gives him a clear platform as the year moves on. For the team, the outcome mattered in the constructors’ race as well. Racing Bulls gained one point on Alpine and extended its lead in fifth place in the constructors’ standings to 33 points. It also remained the only midfield team with more than 100 points. That combination of position, margin and volume shows a team that is managing the middle of the grid better than its rivals, with Lawson contributing to the push.
