Permane Shuts Down Tsolov 2027 Seat Speculation After Austrian GP Friday Running
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane categorically denied reports that Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov has been promised a 2027 Racing Bulls seat, telling Sky Sports F1 on Friday at the Red Bull Ring that the topic has not been discussed internally at all. Tsolov, currently second in the F2 standings, also does not yet hold an FIA Super Licence.
Permane fires down speculation after Friday running in Austria
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane used Friday's press availability at the Austrian Grand Prix to dismiss circulating reports that Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov has already been guaranteed one of the team's two race seats for the 2027 season. [1] The claims surfaced in the build-up to the eighth round of the 2026 championship, with Spanish outlet SoyMotor among those suggesting the deal was already in place, and Liam Lawson identified as the driver who would lose his seat to make room. [3]
What Permane actually said
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 on Friday at the Red Bull Ring, Permane was unequivocal: "They're just rumours. Honestly, we haven't even discussed it, not at all." [2] He acknowledged that Tsolov is monitored within the Red Bull ecosystem, adding "of course he's in the Red Bull programme, he's doing very well in F2," but was equally clear that contentment with his current pairing remains firm. [4] Permane also added a concrete practical point: "Tsolov doesn't have a super licence yet," which would be a prerequisite for any race-seat commitment. [2]
The Tsolov context
Tsolov, 19, is competing in his rookie FIA Formula 2 season for Campos Racing under the Red Bull Junior Team banner, having joined the programme at the end of 2024 after departing the Alpine Academy. [1] He sits second in the F2 drivers' championship heading into the Austrian round, with three race wins from the opening five rounds. [3] The Race's early 2027 grid projection, published in April, listed Tsolov at Racing Bulls alongside Lawson, illustrating how seriously the paddock is taking his progress even at this stage. [5]
Lawson and Lindblad's position
Racing Bulls arrive in Austria having accumulated 41 constructors' points through the opening seven rounds, with Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad both scoring in Monaco and at Barcelona-Catalunya. [1] Permane was explicit in his support for both drivers. [6] Lawson echoed his team principal's view, describing any driver-market talk as "very early days" while characterising his own 2026 campaign as a "very good season." [6]
:::analysis The timing of the SoyMotor report, arriving just before a race weekend, gave it maximum amplification at a moment when Tsolov was physically present in the Spielberg paddock as an F2 competitor. Permane's response was notably specific: he cited both the absence of internal discussions and Tsolov's lack of a Super Licence, two objections that operate on different timescales. The first could change in weeks; the second requires a strong championship finish or accumulated FP1 outings. It is worth noting that Racing Bulls chose Ayumu Iwasa, not Tsolov, for the mandatory rookie FP1 run in Austria, a practical illustration of the Super Licence barrier even with the driver physically present. :::
Related reading
- [1]'We haven't spoken about it at all' – Permane shuts down Tsolov seat rumours for 2027 (formula1). Accessed 2026-06-28.
- [2]Racing Bulls boss makes Tsolov statement as 2027 seat rumours ramp up (gpfans). Accessed 2026-06-28.
- [3]Racing Bulls address F1 driver speculation after Liam Lawson rumours (racingnews365). Accessed 2026-06-28.
- [4]Racing Bulls responds to claim it has signed F2 star for 2027 F1 seat (crash). Accessed 2026-06-28.
- [5]F1 without Verstappen: Our early 2027 grid prediction (the-race). Accessed 2026-06-28.
- [6]Racing Bulls boss issues 'honest' verdict on claims Liam Lawson is at risk to Nikola Tsolov (f1oversteer). Accessed 2026-06-28.