A superb one-stop strategy from Racing Bulls and Liam Lawson in the F1 Austrian GP sealed the Kiwi’s best result in the category to date with P6.
Almost game over on lap 1 for Liam Lawson in the F1 Austrian GP
Off the line, Liam Lawson did not get the best of starts and immediately lost a spot to Max Verstappen.
On the run down to turn 3, he was side-by-side with Gabriel Bortoleto. However, an out of control Kimi Antonelli appeared and wiped out Max Verstappen. Lawson had to take evasive action, losing out to the Brazilian, Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly. He was down to P9.
Speaking in the print media pen, Liam Lawson explained his concerns as the collision happened.
“Yeah, I hadn’t really seen it [the incident] at that point, I’ve seen it now.
“Obviously he was trying to avoid us all slowing down, but you know lap one is […] in a hairpin like that, everyone backs up a lot.
“I know obviously it wasn’t on purpose.
“We were very likely to survive, I mean I thought I got hit to be honest, I thought we were probably going to have damage and the car was fine.
“So yeah, got lucky.”
Liam Lawson on the one-stop strategy in F1 Austrian GP
After Alex Albon dropped out and Pierre Gasly fell back as Alpine simply could not compete at the straights, it was an intense fight for P6 between Lawson, Bortoleto and Alonso.
“Yeah, with today’s temperatures I was quite concerned honestly, but the team knew.
“And I’m just very proud of their efforts. Not just this weekend, but the last few races the car has been very quick and we haven’t been able to convert, so to do that this weekend is pretty cool.”
Having stretched his mediums 32 laps, Lawson did 38 on the hards.
Admitting his hards felt fine at the end, Lawson talked about his concerns of doing the one-stop.
“Honestly not too bad.
“It’s been a weird one this year with tyres, trying to get on top of them.
“Sometimes on paper […] we came here this weekend pretty certain it was going to be a clear two-stop, and I think most people thought that as well.
“After our numbers on Friday we looked at the temperature today and I was pretty concerned with a one-stop honestly.
“But the team knew. I don’t know how, but I’m very happy that they did.”
Concerns about Gabriel Bortoleto coming at the end of the race
With Bortoleto boxing at the end of lap 21 and committed to a two-stop, Lawson and Alonso went and extended their medium stint to laps 32 and 33 respectively. The Kiwi had gone in the DRS just before the Brazilian boxed.
In the closing laps, the Sauber came back at Alonso, and they had a thrilling duel. Experience won out in the end.
Although Lawson eventually got out of DRS range of Alonso in the final laps after relentless pressure, that was a concern for the New Zealander due to Bortoleto coming at them at a rapid rate.
“I was more worried to be honest because Gabriel was there with fresh tyres. I could keep Fernando there, just, but with somebody coming on new tyres I was quite concerned.
“Got a bit lucky that they finished a lap behind and I got a clean final lap to just cruise around.”
A huge result after a tough season to date
Since returning to Racing Bulls after getting dropped by Red Bull Racing following the Chinese GP, Lawson has been regularly overshadowed by rookie teammate Isack Hadjar.
However, points in Monaco, and strong pace through practice in Canada suggested he has been making some progress.
Unlike in Montreal, it all came together as Liam Lawson qualified and finished P6 in the F1 Austrian GP.
He reflected on his emotions about 2025 to date. The key? To continue this kind of form.
“It’s been an incredibly tough year. A very tough year with a lot of potential.
“I came into F1 and even last year had a few races and most of them converted very well.
“Sometimes you can have all the confidence and speed in the world and they don’t, and it has felt like that this year.
“So to finally have a result is amazing, but we need to obviously keep doing this as well.”
