Liam Lawson, reflecting on his return to Racing Bulls at the… Read more
The Racing Bulls car, with its reportedly more user-friendly characteristics, was expected to suit Lawson’s driving style better and offer him an opportunity to showcase some of the speed he demonstrated towards the end of the previous season. This was the key reason why he had been brought into the Red Bull setup initially. Lawson’s hopes were raised as he managed to escape the first phase of Qualifying, a first for him in 2024. He also outqualified his teammate Tsunoda, starting the race in 13th position on the grid.
However, Lawson’s race did not go as planned. He struggled after opting to extend his first stint longer than most of the field, a strategy that ultimately backfired. Lawson admitted that the gamble didn’t pay off, and he ended up losing positions as the race progressed. Reflecting on his race, Lawson kept his comments brief, stating, “That was basically it, there’s not much more to say.” He elaborated that the team had attempted to try something different with their strategy, but it simply didn’t work out as expected. He acknowledged that the first lap of the race had been tricky, but emphasized the importance of learning from such experiences. “We went really long and I guess tried something and it just didn’t really work,” he said.
Despite the challenging race, Lawson remained positive and expressed his determination to continue learning and improving. He acknowledged that the race had been difficult but remained optimistic about the lessons he could take away from the experience. “It was a tough start anyway,” he remarked, indicating that there were still areas of improvement to work on. Lawson noted that there were positive elements to take from the weekend, particularly the fact that they had shown good pace during practice sessions. However, that pace did not translate into race performance when it mattered most, which Lawson hoped to correct in future races.
Looking ahead, Lawson emphasized the importance of continuing to build on his experience with the car. He recognized the need to keep pushing and getting used to the vehicle in order to extract the most performance from it. With multiple races coming up, Lawson was determined to keep improving and pushing forward, hoping that the coming events would provide him with a better opportunity to show his potential.
The Japanese Grand Prix was the first race of a triple-header in the F1 calendar, with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races following closely behind. Lawson’s performance in these upcoming events would be crucial in demonstrating his growth and adaptation to the Racing Bulls car. Despite being 18th in the Drivers’ standings and yet to score any points, Lawson remained upbeat, acknowledging that many drivers were in the same position as him. He mentioned the importance of keeping his focus on the positives and using each race as a stepping stone to better results in the future.
Currently, Lawson is one of five drivers in the championship yet to register any points, alongside Pierre Gasly, Fernando Alonso, Jack Doohan, and Gabriel Bortoleto. Despite his relatively low position in the standings, Lawson remains committed to improving his performance and showing the progress needed to remain in the Red Bull fold. The upcoming races, particularly the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, offer him valuable opportunities to prove his worth and move up the standings.
In conclusion, while the Japanese Grand Prix did not go as planned for Lawson, he took away valuable lessons from the experience. His focus remains on continuous improvement and finding ways to unlock the car’s potential in future races. With determination and a positive outlook, Lawson is looking ahead to the rest of the season, hopeful that the next set of races will offer better opportunities to demonstrate his skills and make progress in the championship standings.
