Liam Lawson has acknowledged he is battling to keep his Formula 1 career alive with Racing Bulls in 2026, conceding that opportunities on the grid beyond the Red Bull family system are “pretty much gone”.
The Kiwi, who was promoted to Red Bull Racing at the start of 2025 as Sergio Pérez’s replacement, saw his big break cut short after just two races when he was demoted back to Racing Bulls in a straight swap with Yuki Tsunoda.
Since then, speculation has swirled about his long-term prospects, with Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad strongly tipped for a promotion and Isack Hadjar expected to join Max Verstappen at the senior team.
That scenario leaves Lawson fighting for survival, and he admits the reality is stark.
Focused on Staying in Formula 1
"We’re all chasing the dream, the first goal is getting into F1, but we’re all here to try and win," Lawson told the media in Baku last time out.
"I spent a long time, especially joining [Red Bull] as a junior at 17, just looking at how to get to Red Bull Racing, that was where I saw my future. Maybe… Not that I forgot why I do it, but that was so much of the goal.
©RedBull
"It’s easier now to sit back and realise the goal has always been winning and getting to the top, and it doesn’t need to be specific to where that is.
"As drivers, the main thing for us is to be in Formula 1, so we’re focused on securing a seat, and honestly, that’s my goal at the moment."
Lawson’s comments reflect a shift in mindset from chasing only a Red Bull Racing drive to keeping any opportunity on the table that allows him to compete at the top.
Options Beyond Red Bull
Despite his willingness to consider alternatives, Lawson admits that the 2026 grid offers little in the way of openings.
"In terms of other teams, I think pretty much everyone is either locked in or has a pretty good idea of what they’re doing next year anyway,” he conceded.
"Right now, it’s mostly talks with Red Bull and trying to secure a seat where I am at the moment. Beyond that, I think it’s at a point where most of them [other seats] are pretty much gone, I would say."
©RedBull
With only the second Alpine seat still technically available outside of Red Bull’s four-car ecosystem, Lawson’s options are dwindling.
His best chance appears to be convincing Racing Bulls to retain him – despite mounting pressure from Red Bull’s stacked junior pipeline.
As the team weighs its 2026 line-up, Lawson’s future hangs in the balance, his path to remaining in Formula 1 hinging on whether Red Bull still sees him as part of theirs.
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Permane: No call on Hadjar’s future until ‘much later in the seasonKeep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook
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