Racing Bulls has a problem most teams would welcome and none can solve lightly: three drivers are pushing for two Formula 1 seats. Arvid Lindblad is part of that squeeze after a strong first campaign that has already delivered points in several races, while Liam Lawson has steadied his form and Nikola Tsolov is rising fast in Formula 2.
That is why Lindblad’s name is drawing so much attention now. The 18-year-old has not looked out of place in Formula 1, and the people judging him say he has speed, talent and the kind of work ethic that shows up in the details. He has also shown an ability to shut out the noise around him and keep working on himself as a driver and as a person, which matters when every race is treated like a test.
The numbers explain why Racing Bulls is taking the situation seriously. Lawson sits tenth in the drivers’ championship with 39 points after recovering from the demotion from Red Bull to Racing Bulls in 2025, and he has done exactly what the team asked of him this year. Lindblad has scored points often enough to make his case visible, while Tsolov has turned heads with three straight Formula 2 wins, including both races of the weekend at the British Grand Prix, after earlier victories in Melbourne and Monaco.
Alan Permane has not hidden the team’s position. He said the team follows Tsolov very closely and called the situation a very nice problem to have, because both Lawson and Lindblad are scoring regularly in the midfield while Tsolov keeps knocking on the door. Permane also pointed to Lindblad’s curiosity, saying the young Brit is always asking how he can help the whole package go faster and what he can do better, a trait that can matter as much as raw pace when a team is deciding who stays and who moves up.
That still leaves Racing Bulls with the same hard arithmetic: three drivers, two seats. Permane’s praise covers all of them, but praise does not widen the garage. If the team makes a change, the choice will shape not only its own lineup but the next step for a driver who has moved quickly through Formula 1, a driver who has already fought his way back from a demotion, and a Red Bull academy prospect arriving with real momentum. For now, the clearest reading is that none of the three has been ruled out.
