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Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe has warned the Racing Bulls hierarchy that parting ways with Liam Lawson in 2027 would severely hinder the growth of the team's drivers.
Lawson is still awaiting a decision regarding his future for next season as the team weighs its lineup options. Arvid Lindblad is widely expected to retain his seat following an impressive rookie campaign, but his future teammate remains unconfirmed. Alongside Lawson, Bulgarian racer Nikola Tsolov, who is locked in a fierce battle for the Formula 2 championship, is also in contention for the drive.
However, according to Hinchcliffe, pairing two inexperienced drivers together would stunt the development of both racers in Formula 1.
"When I made my IndyCar debut, I had a very experienced teammate in Oriol Servia, who had been racing for over a decade," Hinchcliffe said on the F1 Nation podcast. "From my later experience working with younger drivers, I can confidently say that if I had someone with just one or two seasons under their belt beside me in my rookie year, my progression would have been far slower. Lindblad undoubtedly benefits from Lawson's presence, as Liam drives like someone with far more experience than his actual tenure suggests."
Hinchcliffe noted that while Lawson has yet to complete a full campaign from start to finish with a single team, he has demonstrated remarkable maturity. Placing a rookie alongside Lindblad could stall the Swedish driver's progress, while the situation would also be far from ideal for Tsolov, who would be forced to lean on a teammate with just one season of F1 experience.
Lawson is enjoying a strong season with Racing Bulls, sitting ninth in the drivers' championship as the best-of-the-rest contender outside the top four teams. The New Zealander has scored points in 13 of the 18 races held so far and made a strong impression during a mid-season cameo at Red Bull, where he filled in for the injured Isack Hadjar.
In Hinchcliffe's view, those performances make an undeniable case for Lawson to retain his seat for 2027.
"It is mind-boggling that they haven't announced his new deal yet," the pundit commented. "We asked him directly about it on the F1 TV post-race show. His reaction was completely genuine — you could tell he didn't know anything and that all the uncertainty is wearing on him. It wasn't a rehearsed, diplomatic answer along the lines of 'we'll see what happens' while a deal was already done behind the scenes. Letting him go would be absolute madness."
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