Brundle warns Red Bull over Lawson’s Mexico crash rationale

Martin Brundle says Red Bull would be wrong to use Liam Lawson’s clash with Max Verstappen in Mexico City as justification for removing him from Racing Bulls. Brundle said he could understand the team choosing Nikola Tsolov for 2027, but argued the decision should not be driven by the practice incident.

Lawson’s future remains unsettled as the 2026 season approaches its end. His current deal runs out after this year, and he has said he is considering other possibilities. Brundle believes Lawson has delivered a strong campaign, while the New Zealander’s place is under scrutiny after the collision with Verstappen during FP2 at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Brundle says the Mexico incident should not decide Lawson’s future

The pair made contact after Verstappen rejoined the circuit, and both received one-place grid penalties. Red Bull and Racing Bulls team leaders Laurent Mekies and Alan Permane criticised the incident. Brundle’s concern is that Lawson could be judged not on his season’s work but on the clash, despite being within his rights to retain track position against a driver from another team.

Lawson has scored 83 points this season, including 69 for Racing Bulls. The source article says that tally alone would place the team fifth in the constructors’ standings. His form has therefore complicated Red Bull’s apparent interest in promoting Tsolov, who is second in Formula 2 and eligible for an FIA superlicence. Lawson has previously addressed the speculation around Tsolov.

Brundle also reflected on his own experience of being dropped by Benetton after beginning to beat Michael Schumacher. He noted that driver decisions can be shaped by commercial and political considerations, as well as a team’s longer-term plans, and said Lawson had done an excellent job.

Red Bull is weighing experience against a rookie pairing

One option is to put Tsolov alongside Arvid Lindblad, giving the academy prospect a promotion but leaving Racing Bulls with two rookies. The alternative is to retain Lawson as a benchmark for Lindblad for another season, with Tsolov potentially racing in Japanese Super Formula and taking on an F1 reserve role. Lindblad has discussed how his partnership with Lawson is helping Racing Bulls.

BBC Sport’s Andrew Benson described the choice as a debate over whether Racing Bulls should continue primarily as a route for emerging drivers or retain Lawson’s experience. No decision has been resolved. Lawson has acknowledged that opportunities elsewhere may be limited if Red Bull opts to promote Tsolov, leaving the team’s longer-term approach central to the driver-market call.