Liam Lawson secured another points finish for Racing Bulls at the 2026 F1 United States GP, crossing the line in ninth place after a competitive weekend at the Circuit of the Americas. The New Zealander started from ninth on the grid and maintained his position to add two valuable championship points to his tally.
Lawson finished one position ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, who completed the top ten despite sustaining damage during the race. Meanwhile, Kimi Antonelli claimed victory for Mercedes ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen.
The Racing Bulls driver also encountered an unusual technical issue during the race, with a persistent warning alarm distracting him under Virtual Safety Car conditions. Nevertheless, Lawson remained positive about his performance, the team’s recent upgrades and his growing confidence as the 2026 season approaches its conclusion.
Lawson reflects on strong weekend after beating Gasly at the United States GP
Following the race, Lawson expressed satisfaction with Racing Bulls’ performance throughout the United States GP weekend.
When asked about finishing ahead of Gasly by 8s, one of his direct competitors in the midfield, the New Zealander initially questioned whether the Alpine driver had encountered difficulties.
“Yeah, I heard someone say he [Pierre Gasly] maybe had damage or something?”
After receiving confirmation that Gasly had sustained damage following contact with Ollie Bearman at Turn 13 on Lap 2, Lawson shifted his attention towards his own team’s progress and the encouraging pace they had demonstrated in both qualifying and the race. The result continued an encouraging run for Lawson, who highlighted the car’s competitive performance as a reason for optimism heading into the remaining rounds of the championship.
After Austin, Racing Bulls are now 33 points clear of Alpine in the Constructors’ Championship.
“I mean, for us it’s been a very, very strong race and a strong weekend. In quali and the race. Things have been well. So, very, very happy. And obviously, going to the next few races, some interesting tracks. But, I mean, the car has been working well. So, it should hopefully work well there, too.”
Persistent warning alarm distracts Lawson during Virtual Safety Car at 2026 F1 United States GP
Despite his positive result, Lawson revealed that he had experienced a distracting technical issue during the race. The problem emerged when the Virtual Safety Car was deployed to clear the Cadillac of Valtteri Bottas, leaving him with a continuous warning alarm in his ears. The system normally alerts drivers when they approach or exceed the permitted delta time under restricted racing conditions.
The warning initially prompted Lawson to reduce his speed unnecessarily before he checked his display and realised he had sufficient margin to remain within the regulations. Although he managed the situation without losing his points finish, the Racing Bulls driver suggested that the malfunction might not have affected him alone.
“No, when the VSC came out, we went through a double yellow. And we get alarms that basically beep when you’re going too quickly. And it’s really loud. So, obviously, it’s basically to warn us to not be illegal on the delta, and it was just stuck on the whole time.
“I thought I was illegal, and I’m slowing right down. Then I look down, and I’m like six seconds positive. So I’m good.
“But the thing’s just beeping in my ear. Extremely distracting. But I think it might have been a bug that everybody had. Another software issue.”
Racing Bulls upgrades deliver encouraging results in Austin
Beyond his individual performance, Lawson praised the progress Racing Bulls have made. The team introduced upgrades for the United States GP weekend, and the New Zealander welcomed their contribution to the car’s competitiveness.
Asked about the team’s ability to consistently challenge for points for many months now, Lawson highlighted both the improved performance and Racing Bulls’ execution throughout the weekend.
“It’s good. I mean, the car’s been working well now. And, obviously, with upgrades this weekend, it’s nice to see them working well. So, yeah, everything. I think we’ve done a good job at executing this weekend. We came into the race with plenty of [new] tyres as well. We’re saving them from yesterday. In the end we didn’t need to use them. But I think that’s a good sign.”
Lawson feeling more comfortable than ever in F1
As the 2026 season enters its final stages, Lawson believes he has reached his best position since arriving in Formula 1. He is comfortably P9 in the standings at present by 35 points. The Kiwi has also scored points in 9 of his last 11 appearances in a Racing Bulls since that upgrade for Canada transformed their car and season.
When asked whether the progress he has made this season represents the happiest and most confident period of his F1 career, the New Zealander responded positively.
“I mean, for sure. It’s a good place [I’m in]. It’s been a good year. And, obviously, towards the end of the season now, only a few races left. But, obviously, for me, I’m trying to score as many points as I can this year. And I’m going to try and do that for the rest of the year.”
With another two points secured in Austin, Lawson remains focused on maximising the opportunities available during the remaining races. The strong showing at the 2026 F1 United States GP, combined with the team’s recent technical progress, gives Liam Lawson reason to believe he can continue challenging for points as the championship heads towards its conclusion.
