Two F1 Seats Still Up for Grabs for 2027 After Racing Bulls Confirm Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad

Racing Bulls have confirmed Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad as their drivers for the 2027 Formula 1 season. The announcement settles both seats at the Faenza-based team and leaves only two vacancies across the grid, with three races remaining in the 2026 championship.

Haas and Cadillac must now decide who completes their lineups. Their choices will shape the final grid.

McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, Williams, Audi, Alpine and Aston Martin have confirmed their pairings. Haas has signed Rafael Câmara, while Cadillac has secured Sergio Pérez. One seat remains for each team.

Oliver Bearman is in contention with Ryo Hirakawa for the Haas seat while Cadillac must choose between Valtteri Bottas and Colton Herta.

Haas: Oliver Bearman and Ryo Hirakawa in the Picture

Haas has confirmed that Câmara will join on a multi-year deal in 2027, replacing Esteban Ocon. The Brazilian’s arrival leaves one place beside him. Bearman is the leading candidate after spending two seasons with the team and showing steady progress.

However, Haas has not announced his extension, so the seat is not officially confirmed.

Bearman has made his preference clear. Ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, he said, “It’s very clear I want to continue with Haas.” He added that discussions were ongoing and both sides were working through the remaining details.

He wants to build on his experience rather than move elsewhere.

Team principal Ayao Komatsu has also addressed the delay. Reports suggested Bearman’s salary demands were holding up the agreement, including speculation about a $6.5 million request. Komatsu rejected that claim, calling it “absolute nonsense.”

He added that both Bearman and Haas wanted to continue working together. The delay appears to concern the contract process, not a lack of interest.

Hirakawa is another name reportedly under consideration. He has worked with Haas as its reserve driver. The Japanese driver races for Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) in the World Endurance Championship, where he won the drivers’ title in 2022 and 2023 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022.

In 2026, he is competing alongside Sébastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley. TGR is currently on top of the table.

Hirakawa replaced Ocon for the remainder of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend after taking part in FP1. He made his F1 race debut and finished 13th. Penalties for Oscar Piastri, Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly promoted him to 10th, earning Haas one point.

The result showed he could handle the opportunity, although Bearman remains the stronger candidate.

Cadillac: Valtteri Bottas or Colton Herta?

Cadillac has confirmed Pérez for 2027, but its second driver remains a talking point. Bottas joined the team on a multi-year agreement after spending 2025 as Mercedes’ reserve driver.

His deal includes an option for 2027, but reports say Cadillac has not yet activated it. This has prompted speculation about a possible change.

Bottas, however, has remained confident about his future. In August, he dismissed the replacement talk and said, “I have a ticket here for next season, and I will focus solely on continuing here.”

The Finn’s confidence reflects his understanding of the agreement, but Cadillac is yet to make a decision. His experience makes him a valuable option for the new outfit.

Herta is the alternative Cadillac has been assessing. The American is part of its driver program and has received several FP1 outings this season. The sessions let Cadillac assess his pace, feedback and adaptation to F1 machinery while Herta accumulated crucial points to secure a Super License.

Promoting an American would support Cadillac’s interest in homegrown talent, but the team says performance must decide the seat.

His F2 campaign has not made a great case for him. Herta sits 19th with 26 points and has struggled to fight near the front. He moved from IndyCar to F2 to gain the experience and Super Licence points needed for F1, but his results have disappointed.

Herta secured the final Super Licence point during FP1 in Brazil, making him eligible to race in F1. That removes one barrier, but does not guarantee a seat.

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has questioned whether Herta has done enough. The Sky Germany expert said, “As far as I’m concerned, he doesn’t deserve it at all.” Schumacher criticized Herta’s F2 performances and urged Cadillac to consider other young drivers.

Nationality and FP1 outings alone, he argued, should not decide a driver’s place on the grid.

Final Decisions Still Awaited

The Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix are the remaining final three rounds of the 2026 season. All eyes will be on Haas and Cadillac as they prepare to finalize their lineups. It will be interesting to see which drivers make the cut and secure the final two seats for the 2027 season.

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