Chandhok: Dropping Lawson for 2027 would be one of F1's 'most unjust sackings'

Liam Lawson's Racing Bulls future is under scrutiny again, and Karun Chandhok believes dropping him for 2027 would rank among F1's most unjust sackings. The New Zealander has 77 points and helped haul the team to a comfortable P5 in the 2026 Constructors' Championship — his strongest season yet.

Why it matters:

Racing Bulls has outgrown its junior-team tag, with its own identity, sponsors and midfield ambitions. That gives the outfit reasons to be competitive beyond simply preparing drivers for the senior Red Bull squad — an argument that weighs heavily in Lawson's favour as Red Bull decides where to place hot prospect Nikola Tsolov.

The details:

• Tsolov, the Bulgarian Red Bull junior, is locked in a Formula 2 title fight and pushing for a 2027 race seat alongside Arvid Lindblad.
• "If Liam Lawson gets sacked from the seat, it'll be one of the most unjust sackings in F1 because he's done a fantastic job this season," Chandhok said, citing how Lawson responded to his bruising stint in the top team.
• Jamie Chadwick sees a middle path: keep Lawson and place Tsolov in Super Formula as a reserve, mirroring Oscar Piastri's year on the sidelines before his breakthrough.
• "Do they need to make that decision imminently? In my opinion, no," she said.
• Chandhok was blunter still: "I just don't see how they can have any data that suggests Tsolov is a better option than Liam Lawson."

What's next:

Red Bull has time, but not unlimited patience. If Tsolov seals the F2 crown, pressure to promote him will build — and Lawson's best season may not be enough to save him.