Liam Lawson will step aside for FP1 at Racing Bulls at the Mexico City Grand Prix, with Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov getting race weekend experience with the team.

Racing Bulls has yet to make an announcement over its driver line-up for 2027, with incumbent drivers Lawson and Arvid Lindblad understood to be in the frame along with Tsolov to drive with Red Bull’s sister team next season.

Liam Lawson to sit out Mexico FP1 as Racing Bulls contender makes F1 weekend debut

Lawson said over the United States Grand Prix weekend that he has still yet to hear whether or not he will continue with Racing Bulls next season, and team principal Alan Permane has spoken before about the team taking its time over a decision over its line-up next season.

Tsolov has Formula 1 experience through TPC [testing of a previous car] running with Racing Bulls this season, with this being the Bulgarian’s first official race weekend experience.

Tsolov, who currently sits second in the Formula 2 standings, is understood to be the driver pushing hardest for a Formula 1 seat within the Red Bull stable, and this outing for the 19-year-old will complete Racing Bulls’ rookie FP1 session requirements for the remainder of the season.

“A big thank you to VCARB for giving me this opportunity in Mexico,” Tsolov said ahead of the weekend.

“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.”

“Running Nikola in FP1 is an important step in his development within the Red Bull Junior Programme,” Permane added.

“It reflects our commitment to nurturing emerging talent and giving our junior drivers valuable track time and the support they need to learn and develop.

F1 2026: The season’s winners and losers

“Having already worked with Nikola at Imola, we’re looking forward to seeing him build on that experience in Mexico and to the feedback he can provide to help support our preparations for the weekend.”

Formula 1 teams are mandated to run rookie drivers – those to have completed fewer than two Grands Prix – four times per season in FP1 sessions.

Lindblad’s first two FP1 sessions in Formula 1, in Australia and China, along with an FP1 outing for Ayumu Iwasa in Austria, have made up three of the four mandatory practice hours so far. Tsolov’s session, then, will complete Racing Bulls’ requirement for the season.

A swathe of other teams have also announced FP1 changes for Mexico City, with Iwasa set to take Max Verstappen’s place in the first practice hour at Red Bull.