Although Alan Permane did not silence rumours that Nikola Tsolov could replace Liam Lawson next season, he insists the Kiwi is doing exactly what Racing Bulls require of him.<\/p>\n
Still only in his second full season in Formula 1, Lawson has already experienced the full array of rollercoaster emotions of being a Formula 1 driver.<\/p>\n
Liam Lawson praised by Alan Permane despite Nikola Tsolov speculation<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust<\/p>\n Praised as a super sub when he filled in for Daniel Ricciardo in 2023 when the Australian broke his hand at the Dutch Grand Prix, Lawson<\/a> was given a six-race audition the following year with one of the most-wanted seats on the grid as the prize \u2013 a Red Bull Racing seat.<\/p>\n He saw off the challenge of the then Red Bull incumbent Sergio Perez and Racing Bulls stalwart Yuki Tsunoda to secure the seat alongside Max Verstappen for the F1 2025 championship.<\/p>\n But just two races into the season, Lawson was demoted to Racing Bulls in a decision that he feels was unfair, but one that has allowed him to rebuild his reputation.<\/p>\n After a difficult first year at Racing Bulls as he grappled with the fallout, Lawson has emerged as the team\u2019s lead driver this season. <\/p>\n Up against Arvid Lindblad, who former Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko called Red Bull\u2019s next world champion, Lawson has only once finished behind his teammate and leads him by 30 points to 14 in the drivers\u2019 championship.<\/p>\n And yet there is speculation in the paddock that the New Zealander could be ousted by Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov next season.<\/p>\n Tsolov is second in the Formula 2 championship with four wins on the board after six rounds and is being linked to a promotion to Racing Bulls.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a very nice problem to have,\u201d Permane told El Mundo Deportivo of Tsolov, adding that the Bulgarian driver \u201cwill very soon be knocking on the door.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving too many good drivers is always a good problem. He\u2019s doing an impressive job and we\u2019re following him very closely. He\u2019s doing an excellent job.\u201d<\/p>\n But so too, says Permane, is Lawson.<\/p>\n Go deeper: Liam Lawson\u2019s Racing Bulls contract<\/p>\n F1 driver contracts: What is the contract status of every driver on the F1 2026 grid?<\/a><\/p>\n F1 2026 driver salaries: Who are the highest-paid drivers on the grid?<\/a><\/p>\n Fighting back after a rollercoaster start to his Formula 1 career, this season is Lawson\u2019s first in which he\u2019s done pre-season with the team that he\u2019s racing for and has been by far his most stable. It\u2019s shown in his results.<\/p>\n \u201cLiam has been amazing this year, honestly,\u201d Permane declared.<\/p>\n \u201cWe talk a lot about Arvid, and rightly so, but Liam had a very difficult start. In addition, he was competing against Isack Hadjar, who is an extraordinary talent. <\/p>\n \u201cHowever, this year, Liam has done exactly everything we have asked of him. He\u2019s totally focused, he\u2019s still very fast, he takes opportunities when they arise, he doesn\u2019t make mistakes and he\u2019s doing a fantastic job. <\/p>\n \u201cHe is well placed in the overall standings of the world championship. <\/p>\n \u201cThat is exactly what we ask of him, and he\u2019s are getting it.\u201d<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n