Lawson warned Red Bull exit is the only way to fulfilling F1 title dream
Photo: Race Pictures
Tobia is a Formula 1 journalist at GPblog with experience at international circuits. Since 2022, he has covered Grands Prix across Europe, delivering reliable coverage and insights from the paddock.
Liam Lawson may have secured his Formula 1 future with Racing Bulls for 2027, but former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes the New Zealander must eventually leave the Red Bull family if he wants to become a world champion.
Racing Bulls officially confirmed on Thursday that Lawson will remain with the team next season alongside Arvid Lindblad, ending months of speculation over his future.
The announcement comes after an impressive 2026 campaign for the 24-year-old, who has established himself as the leading midfield driver and helped Racing Bulls strengthen their grip on fifth place in the Constructors' Championship.
However, Steiner believes Lawson's ambitions should extend beyond simply retaining his seat, suggesting that his chances of returning to the senior Red Bull team are extremely limited.
Speaking to New Zealand radio station More FM before Thursday's announcement, the former Haas boss correctly predicted that Racing Bulls would retain Lawson for another season.
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Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
Steiner believes Lawson must leave Red Bull to become champion
"Firstly, yes I think they will stick with him next year. And then I think Liam needs to make his own way out of the Red Bull family. I think his promotion back to the Red Bull team from Racing Bulls, I don't think that will happen. And if you don't go there, he cannot be world champion."
Lawson's relationship with the senior Red Bull team has already been complicated. After earning a promotion for the start of the 2025 season, he was demoted to Racing Bulls after just two Grands Prix.
He subsequently returned to Red Bull for three races in 2026, replacing the injured Isack Hadjar, but the Frenchman's confirmation alongside Max Verstappen for 2027 has effectively closed the door on another immediate promotion.
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Nevertheless, Steiner believes Lawson possesses the necessary talent to challenge for a world championship, provided he eventually secures a seat with a leading team.
"Has he got the talent to be world champion? I think in the right car, he can be. There are a lot of them with similar talent like him at the moment in Formula 1. But when you get in the right team at the right place at the right time, he could achieve it."
Lawson's impressive form earns Steiner praise
Lawson's performances have provided a strong argument for his retention, with the New Zealander scoring points in 15 of the opening 20 Grands Prix this season.
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His latest result came in Brazil, where he started third and briefly ran second before eventually finishing seventh following Charles Leclerc's five-second penalty.
Steiner believes those performances demonstrate that Lawson deserves an opportunity to compete with Formula 1's leading drivers: "I think he has shown in this moment that he can do a very good job with Racing Bulls, who are not in the top four cars, but he's always the best of the rest. He shows he can do a good job, but now he needs to be in the big machines and at one of the top four teams."
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