Racing Bulls Team Principal Alan Permane has insisted that the team will not rush its decision over its 2027 Formula 1 driver line-up, despite growing uncertainty surrounding Liam Lawson, Arvid Lindblad and Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov. Speaking ahead of the 2026 F1 São Paulo GP, Permane explained that the organisation continues evaluating its options, with outright pace, experience and driver development all influencing its decision.
His comments follow confirmation that he has signed a long-term contract extension, keeping him at Racing Bulls as Team Principal and Co-CEO Sporting until the end of 2031. The agreement provides continuity as the Faenza-based outfit looks to build on its strongest performances of the season.
Racing Bulls currently occupies fifth in the Constructors’ Championship, holding a 39-point advantage over Alpine following seven consecutive points-scoring Grands Prix. Permane believes improvements throughout the organisation have contributed to that consistency, although he remains cautious about the unpredictable conditions expected at Interlagos.
Permane commits to Racing Bulls through 2031
Racing Bulls confirmed Permane’s contract extension ahead of the São Paulo GP, securing his leadership of the organisation for another five seasons. Having joined as Racing Director in January 2024 before becoming Team Principal in July 2025, the Briton has overseen a period of improvement that has placed the team at the front of Formula 1’s midfield.
Permane welcomed the long-term stability provided by the agreement, explaining that his decision reflected both the team’s recent progress and his ambition to help it achieve more alongside Peter Bayer.
“Yeah, a proud moment, honestly, for me to be offered a contract like that. Long-term stability for myself and the team. I think things are going very, very well.
“As we can see, we’re in a… I would say I’ve been saying for a while we’re in a tight fight for fifth. We’re not actually in such a tight fight for fifth. I’m very cautious of this weekend because, with the weather we have, and we saw Alpine do a couple of years ago here, anything is possible.
“But I think we have a decent buffer, and I want to build on that. I want to be part of this team long-term. I want to lead it together with Peter towards greater things.”
Permane explains leadership structure alongside Peter Bayer
Permane’s agreement also confirms his responsibilities as Co-CEO Sporting, working alongside Bayer, who serves as Co-CEO Commercial. The arrangement divides the organisation’s sporting and technical operations from its commercial activities, allowing both executives to concentrate on their respective areas of expertise.
Despite the formal confirmation of his expanded role, Permane explained that the leadership structure largely reflects how the two already operate. He therefore does not anticipate significant changes to their working relationship or the division of responsibilities within Racing Bulls.
“Yeah, I don’t think anything will change. It’s clear Peter looks after the commercial side, the PR side, the comms and marketing, and I look after the sporting, the design, production and racing side. I don’t think anything will change there.”
The arrangement provides continuity as Racing Bulls attempts to consolidate its competitive position. Permane’s responsibilities extend from the design and production of the car to its performance at the circuit, while Bayer oversees the commercial activities supporting the team’s wider development.
With the leadership structure settled for the coming seasons, Racing Bulls can maintain its focus on improving its sporting operations without introducing major organisational changes.
Permane credits organisational improvements for consistent results
Racing Bulls has demonstrated considerable consistency during the second half of 2026, scoring points in seven consecutive Grands Prix. However, Permane believes the team’s progress reflects improvements across the organisation rather than a particular advantage in its car’s performance.
He identified the effectiveness of its development processes as an important factor, explaining that new components have increasingly delivered the expected results immediately. This has allowed the team to introduce upgrades without spending valuable track time investigating discrepancies between simulation and actual performance.
“I think it’s not just the strength of the car. I think it’s the strength of the whole organisation at the moment. We are putting stuff on that comes from the wind tunnel through to production through to the race team, and it works first time.
“I think that, and these guys will tell you, is a massive strength. It just accelerates your performance. You don’t spend time back-to-backing at the track. You don’t have to go back to the wind tunnel to understand why something doesn’t work. So, I think if there’s one thing I could pick out, it would be that.
“Of course, our drivers are both delivering, and you say they’re under pressure. They’re both working incredibly well under pressure. If you say the last seven races, I think it’s only two rounds out of… I don’t know how many we’ve done now that we haven’t scored. So, it’s quite an impressive record for this team.”
Racing Bulls refuses to rush its 2027 driver announcement
Despite securing stability within its leadership, Racing Bulls has yet to confirm either driver for the 2027 season. Lawson and Lindblad currently represent the team, while Tsolov remains among the young drivers being considered for a potential Formula 1 promotion.
Permane acknowledged the frustration surrounding the delay but insisted that the organisation wants to avoid repeating past mistakes. He suggested that Red Bull’s approach to junior drivers has sometimes attracted criticism for allowing insufficient time to adapt, making a more thorough evaluation particularly important.
“I’m not going to give you a date, Tom. I’m sure you’re not surprised to hear that. Look, Red Bull’s had a very successful young driver programme, and I think, if I want to be… and I don’t want to be critical of it, but I think if you guys are critical of it, maybe sometimes the drivers haven’t been able to have enough time to settle, or maybe some snap decisions have been made.
“We’re trying to apply a little bit of science, and that takes some time. So we are looking at everything and studying, analysing, and time is on our side. We’re not in a rush to do anything, and I’m very confident the right decision will be made.
“I realise it’s frustrating for our drivers. I realise it’s frustrating for everyone else, but we want to get it right, and we will get it right. I’m sure when we announce it in the coming weeks, everyone will be happy.”
Pace, experience and development remain central to driver decision
Permane subsequently provided further insight into the criteria Racing Bulls will use when selecting its drivers. Although outright speed remains the primary consideration, he emphasised that the team’s responsibilities extend beyond securing immediate results.
As part of Red Bull’s wider development structure, Racing Bulls must provide opportunities for emerging drivers while maintaining sufficient experience to evaluate their progress. Permane suggested that repeatedly replacing young competitors would not necessarily serve that objective, particularly when an experienced teammate could provide a useful reference point.
“Yeah, we are getting close, as I’ve been saying for a while. The main factors are, as always, pace and speed. That’s what comes into it. That’s the very first thing we look for.
“But we’re not just a team that exists solely to compete. We are here to bring young talent through, so we have to keep an eye on that. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that we just keep churning young talent through the car. We need to have maybe some experience as well to measure that talent again.
“So, it’s not an easy decision, and I understand and get the frustration from everyone. I get the frustration from my drivers. However, they are both performing excellently, so I don’t know if that frustration is helping. Maybe they’ll be even better when those decisions are made. I don’t know.
“But, like I said, we don’t have a… I’m not going to give you a date, but we’re getting there, and it won’t be long.”
Permane leaves all options open over Tsolov’s future
Tsolov’s potential promotion adds another consideration to Racing Bulls’ decision, particularly given his performances in Formula 2 and growing involvement with the Formula 1 team. The Bulgarian made his first official F1 practice appearance at the Mexico City GP, finishing 12th during FP1.
With Lawson and Lindblad also competing for their futures, Permane was asked whether Racing Bulls could consider securing Tsolov for 2028 while allowing its existing drivers to contest the available 2027 opportunities. Such an arrangement could provide the Bulgarian with a clearer development pathway without requiring an immediate promotion.
However, Permane declined to indicate whether the proposal reflected the team’s plans, stressing that Racing Bulls had not yet finalised its decision.
“All solutions are possible. I’m not going to give you any clues on what we’re going to do because, honestly, we’re almost there, but we’re not finalised. I don’t want to say one thing or the other on that. But nice try.”
Although his response leaves several possibilities open, it does not confirm an agreement with Tsolov or indicate which drivers Racing Bulls intends to retain.
Permane’s extended contract establishes long-term stability within the team’s leadership, but its immediate driver plans remain unresolved. With Lawson and Lindblad continuing to deliver competitive performances, Racing Bulls faces a difficult choice between maintaining continuity and creating another opportunity for an emerging Red Bull junior.
For now, Permane remains determined to complete that assessment before announcing a decision, even if it means allowing the uncertainty to continue into the closing stages of the season.
