An excellent P8 for Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson at the 2026 F1 Hungarian GP concluded a really strong first half of the season for him.
Starting in 11th on Sunday following a disappointing last lap in Q2, the New Zealander immediately made up for it. He cleared Russell who bogged down at the start, and quickly passed Nico Hülkenberg as well off the line. Critically for the driver of car #30, he got by teammate Arvid Lindblad out of turn 1 to lead the midfield.
From there, his pace was strong. He gapped his Racing Bulls teammate by 4-5s in the first two stints as the Audis of Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto were also a threat in the battle for 8th through to 11th once Oscar Piastri retired.
Once the German boxed for softs at the end of lap 39, Racing Bulls covered him with Liam Lawson three tours later in the 2026 F1 Hungarian GP. He came out just in front.
From there, he had a 16s and 10s to Lindblad and Bortoleto respectively. After clearing the Brazilian on lap 59 in the first turn, he got his teammate three tours later around the outside of turn 2.
As the chequered flag fell at the 2026 F1 Hungarian GP, Lawson finished P8, 2.3s ahead of Nico Hülkenberg.
Liam Lawson on his P8 in the 2026 F1 Hungarian GP
Speaking in the print media pen, the 24-year-old said the initial plan in the race was to do a one-stop. However, once Nico Hülkenberg pitted for a second time, Racing Bulls covered that off with their lead driver. It proved to be correct call.
“It was good.
“We didn’t plan on two stopping, so that was something that was a surprise. I had been managing the first part of that hard stint.
“I could feel that there was something going on behind because just the communication with Alex [Alexandre Iliopoulos]. He was mentioning the Audi’s but not saying too much and then out of nowhere it was ‘push, we need to box’.
“So yeah, obviously a long stint on the soft at the end but it was a great call from the team.
“The car’s been pretty strong today.”
Beating Audi
Heading into the weekend, Audi were hopeful of leading the midfield as their chassis has been extremely strong. The Hungaroring does not have many straights, unlike Spa where the deficiencies in their engine were clear.
In qualifying at the 2026 F1 Hungarian GP, Arvid Lindblad was the lead driver of the quartet, with Lawson coming out on top in the race following close fights on Saturday and Sunday.
Alongside that, Racing Bulls jumped Alpine for P5 in the Constructors’ Championship, moving five points clear.
“Yeah it is [hugely encouraging to beat Audi].
“This was definitely one we thought they would be the strongest. And so to be on top here is very, very positive going into the second half of the year.
“It’s put us in front of Alpine as well which is what we wanted to do before the break. And now we need to try and sustain for the rest of the year.”
Lawson on the Verstappen and Hamilton fight in the 2026 Hungarian GP
With Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen boxing relatively early, they came out behind the New Zealander. The Ferrari driver was then stuck behind him through the middle and final sector.
While the seven-time World Champion did overtake in the last corner, the Red Bull driver quickly got by as well on exit and then delivered an incredible move on the brakes to take a net P3 back.
Lawson had a front row seat to the action, explaining how them battling into turn 1 was hurting his own race time.
Nonetheless, he appreciated the move his former Red Bull F1 teammate pulled off.
“Yeah, I was just trying not to get in the way and be too much involved. I wasn’t getting lapped, so I didn’t have to let him go.
“But yeah, I didn’t expect him to go by. Obviously I saw the late lunge.
“It ended up costing me so much time behind them which at the time was a bit stressful.
“But it was a good move. It was a very Max [Verstappen] move.”
