Interestingly, Tsolov has also been given the session ahead of Racing Bulls’ current reserve driver Ayumu Iwasa, who stepped in for Lawson during FP1 at this year’s Austrian Grand Prix.
Liam Lawson and Nikola Tsolov. Photos / Red Bull
However, drivers taking part in an FP1 session is no guarantee of promotion.
In 2022, Lawson took part in FP1 sessions for both the Belgian and Mexican grands prix for then-AlphaTauri, but had to wait until 2024 to be promoted fulltime.
What’s more, Mexico has also proven to be a favourite track for Racing Bulls to give young drivers a chance behind the wheel.
Aside from Lawson in 2022, Isack Hadjar was given Mexico’s FP1 session in 2023, before he was promoted in 2025, while Iwasa did the same last year.
Earlier this year, Spanish outlet SoyMotor reported that Tsolov had been guaranteed a seat at Racing Bulls for 2027, with Lawson the likely driver to make way. However, those reports were quickly denied by Racing Bulls.
Herald sources have also indicated that Racing Bulls are unlikely to make a change to its 2027 lineup, with the pair of Lawson and Arvid Lindlbad odds-on to be retained.
In the time since, Tsolov has gone from leading Formula Two to sitting second with two rounds remaining, after he was overtaken by Ferrari junior Rafael Camara – who will join Haas next year.
Liam Lawson prepares for the US Grand Prix in Austin. Photo / Red Bull
“A big thank you to [Racing Bulls] for giving me this opportunity in Mexico,” Tsolov said in a team statement.
“Following my test with the team at Imola in August, I’m excited to take this next step, build on that experience and learn more about the car and the current regulations.
“I’ll focus on making the most of the session, working closely with the team and providing useful feedback.”
Regardless of the speculation over his seat, Lawson has proven to be one of the strongest performing drivers on this year’s grid.
The Kiwi sits ninth in the drivers championship with 77 points as the “best of the rest” as the highest-placed driver outside of the top four teams.
On top of that, Lawson has also accrued the bulk of Racing Bulls’ 102 points and left his team on course to finish fifth in the constructors championship, in what would be the best result in the team’s history.
The Mexican Grand Prix weekend begins on Saturday morning (NZT).
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.