Liam Lawson continues to build one of the strongest seasons of his Formula 1 career, but former World Champion Nico Rosberg believes that may still not guarantee the New Zealander a place at Racing Bulls in 2027.
Lawson’s sixth-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix added another strong result to a 2026 campaign that currently has him sitting ninth in the Drivers’ Championship.
The 24-year-old has spent the past three rounds temporarily back at Red Bull as a replacement for the injured Isack Hadjar, scoring points in two of those appearances.
His latest result in Madrid was also his best since returning to the senior team, following seventh at Zandvoort and 14th after a disrupted weekend at Monza.
Before receiving the Red Bull call-up, Lawson had already established himself as a regular points contender at Racing Bulls, scoring in eight of the opening 11 races of the season and comfortably getting the better of rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad across the opening portion of the campaign.
On results alone, Lawson continues to strengthen his argument for remaining on the Formula 1 grid next season.
Whether that will be enough within Red Bull’s notoriously competitive driver programme is another question.
Red Bull has yet to confirm its full 2027 line-up beyond Max Verstappen, leaving decisions to be made across both its senior and junior teams.
During Sky Sports’ coverage following the Spanish Grand Prix, broadcaster Simon Lazenby raised Lawson’s future amid discussion about the next generation of Red Bull-backed drivers working their way towards Formula 1.
Formula 2 Championship leader Nikola Tsolov is among those progressing through the system, adding further competition for seats within the Red Bull structure.
“Liam is going to be OK for a while, surely?” Lazenby asked.
Strategy analyst Bernie Collins agreed that Lawson appeared to have put himself in a strong position, while acknowledging the uncertainty that can surround driver negotiations.
Rosberg, however, was less convinced.
The 2016 World Champion believes Red Bull’s expectations extend beyond finding drivers capable of consistently scoring points.
“The thing for Red Bull is, though, they’re looking for the next Max Verstappen or the next Sebastian Vettel. Everything else is just not good enough,” Rosberg said.
“At the moment, I’m not sure that Liam Lawson would be considered at that level with what he’s been producing so far.”
That distinction could matter as Red Bull weighs its options for 2027.
Lawson has shown consistency throughout the season, and his latest stint with the senior team has gone much better than his brief opportunity at the start of 2025.
But Red Bull’s driver programme has rarely offered guarantees based purely on dependable results.
Its history has been built around finding drivers capable of eventually leading the senior team and challenging at the front of Formula 1, while a constant stream of junior talent means pressure on its existing drivers rarely disappears.
Rosberg believes that could work against Lawson despite the Kiwi’s results.
Hadjar and Lindblad remain part of Red Bull’s longer-term picture, while another generation is continuing to progress through the junior ranks.
“With Arvid Lindblad and also Isack Hadjar, it’s still possible, but that’s in the discussions for them,” Rosberg said.
Lawson knows first-hand how quickly Red Bull can make changes.
His first stint with the senior team at the beginning of 2025 lasted just two Grands Prix before he was returned to Racing Bulls.
His latest opportunity has painted a very different picture.
Called back into the team following Hadjar’s injury, Lawson has scored points in two of three starts and believes he has become progressively more competitive as he has adapted to the car.
Combined with his results at Racing Bulls earlier in the year, it leaves Lawson with a strong body of work as decisions over 2027 begin to loom.
Yet Rosberg’s assessment highlights the unusual reality of life within the Red Bull system: being good enough to perform consistently in Formula 1 and being considered a future Red Bull front-runner are not necessarily viewed as the same thing.
For Lawson, there is little more he can do other than continue producing results.
Whether his next race comes for Red Bull or Racing Bulls remains uncertain as Hadjar continues his recovery, but the bigger question surrounding his long-term future is unlikely to disappear.
Lawson has so far done plenty to demonstrate why he deserves to remain on the Formula 1 grid.
The question now is whether Red Bull believes he has shown enough to keep that grid position within its own driver stable.
Header Image: Alex Bierens de Haan/LAT Images via Red Bull Content Pool
