Racing Bulls close in on fifth in F1 standings as Austin upgrades extend remarkable 2026 run

Racing Bulls have strengthened their push for fifth place in the 2026 Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship after another impressive performance at the United States Grand Prix. Liam Lawson secured ninth place in Austin, while the latest upgrades to the VCARB03 delivered further aerodynamic improvements, underlining the Faenza-based team’s remarkable progress during the season.

Since Formula 1 returned from its summer break, Racing Bulls have collected an impressive 32 points, almost twice as many as Alpine, which has managed 17 over the same period. The results have brought the team increasingly close to fifth place in the championship standings, confirming the effectiveness of its development programme.

Finishing fifth would not only bring significant financial benefits but would also provide further recognition of the outstanding work carried out by the engineers in Faenza. Particularly since the Canadian Grand Prix, when a new upgrade package featuring a redesigned floor was introduced, the VCARB03 has frequently established itself as a benchmark in the midfield.

Racing Bulls’ Austin upgrades bring more aerodynamic performance

The quality of Racing Bulls’ development programme has played a decisive role in its impressive form throughout the 2026 season. The team arrived in Austin with another upgrade package, introducing revisions to the wings alongside a redesigned floor as it continued to improve the VCARB03.

The objective was to increase aerodynamic downforce through modifications to the outer section and inlet area of the floor, as well as changes to the bargeboards. These updates were designed to extract additional performance from a car that has already demonstrated considerable versatility across different circuits.

Both Racing Bulls drivers managed to secure positions inside the top ten in qualifying without setting a lap in Q3. However, Arvid Lindblad was forced to start five places further back because of a power unit replacement penalty, making his race considerably more complicated.

Pierre Gasly suffered minor floor damage following contact with Oliver Bearman early in the race, but the Alpine driver was never able to seriously challenge Liam Lawson. The New Zealander delivered another strong performance, finishing ninth and collecting two valuable championship points.

Liam Lawson scores important points as Arvid Lindblad struggles

Liam Lawson finished comfortably ahead of Pierre Gasly, with the Alpine driver crossing the line seven seconds behind. Meanwhile, Arvid Lindblad was unable to recover sufficiently to reach the points, spending a significant part of the race battling the other Alpine.

The British driver was involved in a prolonged duel with Franco Colapinto, who attempted to slow his recovery through the field. Racing Bulls ultimately decided to switch Arvid Lindblad to a two-stop strategy, but the decision failed to produce the desired result.

Most of his direct rivals remained on a single pit stop, which proved to be the most effective strategy during Sunday’s race. As a result, Arvid Lindblad could not rejoin the group ahead, although Liam Lawson ensured Racing Bulls extended its impressive sequence of points-scoring performances.

Racing Bulls outscore Alpine, Haas, Audi and Williams since the summer break

The results achieved since the summer break provide a clear illustration of Racing Bulls’ progress compared with its midfield rivals. Across the seven Grands Prix from the Netherlands to the United States, the Faenza-based team has collected 32 points, with Alpine emerging as its closest challenger during that period.

The following table shows the points scored by the five teams across those seven races:

Racing Bulls’ 32-point return is almost double the 17 points collected by Alpine, its main pursuer in the battle for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship. More importantly, the total reflects the team’s consistency rather than a single outstanding result.

With the exception of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, Racing Bulls have scored points at every race since the summer break. This consistency has allowed the team to build a significant advantage over several of its direct competitors.

Racing Bulls maintain impressive form despite Liam Lawson’s temporary absence

Another important aspect of the team’s performance is that Racing Bulls achieved part of this points total without Liam Lawson. From the Netherlands to Madrid, a period covering three Grands Prix, the New Zealander was temporarily promoted to Red Bull to replace the injured Isack Hadjar.

That meant Racing Bulls had to compete without one of its two regular drivers during an important phase of the championship. Yuki Tsunoda managed to secure one point, but having an in-form driver already familiar with the characteristics of these cars could potentially have produced a stronger return.

Despite that interruption, Racing Bulls continued to deliver competitive performances, with the VCARB03 repeatedly demonstrating its ability to fight near the front of the midfield.

Versatile VCARB03 gives Racing Bulls a strong chance of finishing fifth

The VCARB03 has now established itself as one of the leading midfield cars, but its most encouraging characteristic is its broad operating window. Rather than relying on a particularly narrow set of conditions to perform well, the car has demonstrated versatility across different circuits and race weekends.

With five Grands Prix still to be contested, Racing Bulls’ advantage over its rivals is not unassailable. Nevertheless, the team holds a significant 32-point lead over Alpine in the Constructors’ Championship, with the French outfit having also lost its Monaco podium result.

The combination of consistent points finishes, effective aerodynamic development and a versatile car has put Racing Bulls in an increasingly strong position. Securing fifth place would represent an important achievement for the Faenza-based team and further validate the work carried out throughout the 2026 season.