F1 boss reveals team orders decision as driver future hangs in the balance

Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane has clarified a decision over team orders at a recent race as the stars of the Red Bull F1 driver pool fight it out for a 2026 contract.

The Brit was handed a promotion back in July when Christian Horner was sacked and immediately replaced by Laurent Mekies, with Permane selected to take over the junior Red Bull outfit from the Frenchman.

Since the management reshuffle among the Red Bull outfits, Racing Bulls have doubled their points total thanks to improved performances from driver duo Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson, neither of whom have secured a contract for next season.

Another star whose future hangs in the balance is Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda, who has been rumoured to be out of a full-time seat in the sport altogether thanks to his struggles alongside reigning champion Max Verstappen.

But, both teams insist they are taking their time over next year's lineup, with a lifeline at Racing Bulls not ruled out for Tsunoda.

Did Red Bull issue Tsunoda team orders in Baku?

At last weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lawson secured a career-best position on the starting grid of P3, lining up just one row behind four-time champion Verstappen in Baku.

This highlighted trouble for Tsunoda, who, even on a good day compared to his results so far this season, was outshone by a member of the junior team.

With contracts on the line for both Tsunoda and Lawson, many wondered if Red Bull would call upon Racing Bulls to enforce an order for the Kiwi star to back off the Japanese racer in the closing stages of the race.

However, after Lawson overtook his former team-mate on lap 39 last weekend, Permane confirmed that he was never under threat of team orders.

"There were none at all," Lawson's boss revealed to DAZN at the Azerbaijan GP.

"We weren’t going to let him through, of course. Liam did a great job keeping behind a faster car.

"Yuki had fresh medium tyres and Liam did a great job holding him off with elbows out. Liam is very tough mentally, very strong. He’s been focused all weekend. He drove perfectly."

Lawson crossed the line in P5 as the highest finishing Red Bull-backed driver behind Verstappen, who secured a comeback with another victory in Baku.

Thanks to the points haul from the 23-year-old, Racing Bulls leapfrogged Aston Martin in the constructors' standings and currently sit in sixth with 72 points to their name.

As the championship heads to Singapore next weekend, Lawson will be focused on keeping ahead of Tsunoda once again to demonstrate that he too deserves to keep his spot in the sport, and maybe even gain a promotion back up to the main Red Bull team.

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