Marko makes clear who Racing Bulls should pick between Lawson and Tsolov
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.
Former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes Racing Bulls should replace Liam Lawson with Nikola Tsolov for the 2027 Formula 1 season, insisting that promoting the Bulgarian would be in keeping with the philosophy established by the team's founder, Dietrich Mateschitz.
The Faenza-based outfit has yet to finalise its driver line-up for next year, with Lawson and Arvid Lindblad both hoping to retain their seats. However, Tsolov has emerged as another candidate following his performances in Formula 2, leaving Racing Bulls with three drivers competing for two positions.
Although Marko no longer oversees Red Bull's junior programme, the Austrian has made his preference clear, arguing that the team should continue prioritising the development of young talent rather than retaining established drivers.
Marko explains why Racing Bulls should choose Tsolov
Speaking to Austrian newspaper Krone, Marko referred to the principles introduced by the late Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, which helped shape the organisation's approach to developing future Formula 1 drivers.
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"I agree with a saying by Mateschitz: 'We don't buy stars, we make stars.' We've always looked for our own drivers who can win a Grand Prix. Apart from a few exceptions, it's worked."
The former Red Bull advisor then addressed the uncertainty surrounding Racing Bulls' 2027 line-up, identifying Tsolov as his preferred candidate over Lawson: "In keeping with this philosophy, the difficult decision between Liam Lawson and Nikola Tsolov at Racing Bulls should actually go in Tsolov's favour."
Photo: Race Pictures
Racing Bulls face difficult decision over 2027 line-up
Despite Marko's preference, Lawson remains a strong candidate to retain his seat following an encouraging 2026 campaign. The New Zealander has also gained further experience with Red Bull this season, temporarily returning to the senior team while Isack Hadjar recovered from a wrist injury.
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Meanwhile, Lindblad is completing his rookie Formula 1 season, having earned promotion through the Red Bull junior programme. Tsolov, who is competing in Formula 2, has already gained experience behind the wheel of a Racing Bulls car, completing 690 kilometres during a test at Imola in August.
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane recently acknowledged the difficulty of choosing between the three drivers, explaining that the team would not rush its decision: "We're in no rush. We've got two fantastic drivers. We've got a fantastic driver in F2 at the moment, and they're all there and ready to go. But three doesn't fit into two, of course."
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