Kiwi Formula 1 driver Liam Lawson says a decision on his future in the sport will likely be made "in the next few weeks".
Lawson made the comments as the series arrives in Malaysia for the Bahrain Grand Prix – which was moved to the Sepang circuit from the Middle East after the Iran war began in February.
Speaking to the media ahead of tonight's first practice session, the 24-year-old told print media he was still waiting to learn if he would still have a seat next season.
“There are conversations obviously constantly being had in the background, but for me, it’s very much focused on the racing," he said.
Lawson's team, Racing Bulls, is yet to confirm its driver lineup for the 2027 season. Only four seats remain open on the grid: two at Racing Bulls and two at Haas. French Haas driver Esteban Ocon is confirmed to be leaving the team, while Brit Oliver Bearman is expected to re-sign.
“I don’t feel like there’s much more I could have done this year," Lawson said about his current situation. "We’ve had a good season and, at the moment, in a good place in the championship, and that’s where I’m trying to stay."
He said he would continue to focus on delivering strong results and maintain his ninth-place standing on the driver's championship ladder.
"Those decisions I’m sure will be made in the next few weeks.”
Last weekend's Grand Prix in Azerbaijan was a difficult one for Lawson, who failed to qualify in the top 10 before being taken out by teammate Arvid Lindblad during a safety car restart late in the race.
Lindblad went on to finish in the points and was unpunished for the incident. He apoligised to Lawson while the Kiwi spoke to media following the race.
"I think from a team perspective, it's obviously great that we were able to score points in a weekend that was looking like it was going to be very, very tough for us," Lawson said. "In terms of the incident, I mean, from my side, there's not really a lot to discuss. I think it's more on Arvid's side with the team."
He said that while it "sucked for me", he wasn't "too worked up".
"It's not something that I really had any control over. I would just not like it to happen anymore."
The last time F1 raced at Sepang was in 2017, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen taking the win.
The 5.5-kilometre circuit is known for its tight high-speed corners with late apexes. Its wide track could prompt some side-by-side racing.
Lawson said he was excited to be racing on what he called an "old school track".
"I think it's going to be tough as a track. A lot of tyre deg normally here. Obviously, we have energy management to account for this year as well," he said.
Lawson's last trip to Malaysia was during the 2018 F3 Asian Championship, producing two wins, two pole positions, and three fastest laps.
"I remember the thunderstorms, especially in the evenings, that were savage," he said. "It could obviously be a big factor here, always can be. It would be very, very interesting with these cars as well. So let's see."
The first practice session will be at 5.30pm today (NZT), with qualifying at 9pm on Saturday and the race at 8pm on Sunday.
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including a serious incident south of Auckland, fiery protests in France, and a jump off Auckland’s tallest residential tower. (Source: 1News)
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