Racing Bulls' boss tells Lawson and Lindblad to study Verstappen’s radio

Permane identifies Verstappen as the benchmark for Racing Bulls’ rookies

Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane has urged Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad to study Max Verstappen’s radio communications as they continue adapting to Formula 1 in 2026.

That gap underlines the scale of the learning process facing the 24-year-old New Zealander and the British Swede, who will soon turn 19. For Permane, Verstappen offers a model that extends beyond outright speed. The Red Bull driver’s composure and quality of feedback are just as valuable to younger team-mates and rivals seeking to accelerate their development.

“At the moment, we use GPS, we listen to his radio,” Permane said at the Belgian Grand Prix. “One of the things I’m always saying to our guys is, ‘Listen to his communication. Listen to how calm he always is. Listen to how good his feedback is.’”

Permane described Verstappen as a benchmark because of “not only his pace, but how he carries himself in and out of the car”, adding that he regarded the four-time world champion as an exemplary guide for younger drivers.

Shared ownership, separate access to data

Although Red Bull and Racing Bulls share ownership, the sister team is using information available to every other competitor in the championship. Lawson confirmed that the drivers examine the data they can access across the field rather than relying on privileged insight from his former team-mate.

Asked at the Austrian Grand Prix whether he was still learning from Verstappen, Lawson said: “We look at all the drivers. Obviously, this basic amount of data that’s shared between all the teams that we have access to.” He added that drivers can pick up useful details by watching what everyone else is doing.

The internal contest is already close. Lawson has outqualified Lindblad 8-6 and leads the points battle 43-23, although that advantage is narrower over the last six rounds, where he leads 27-18. Lindblad’s progress has made the comparison increasingly competitive.

“It’s good to have two quick guys, that’s for sure,” Permane said. Their ideal laps in Belgian Grand Prix practice were separated by milliseconds, pointing to a season-long battle in which Racing Bulls may need to manage two drivers operating at a very similar level.

That close competition, combined with the team’s emphasis on learning from Verstappen’s precision and calmness, gives the pairing a clear reference point as the 2026 campaign develops. The team’s battle at Spa also featured a hard-fought contest between its drivers, as reported in Racing Bulls drivers fought hard at Spa, then shared an EasyJet flight home.