Liam Lawson Voices Frustration After Losing… Read More
Liam Lawson has openly expressed his disappointment following a dramatic turn of events at the Miami Grand Prix, where he lost a valuable points finish due to a penalty and was further hindered by a technical issue during qualifying.
The New Zealand driver, representing Racing Bulls, initially finished eighth in the Sprint race, which would have earned him his first championship point of the season. However, his result came under scrutiny after an incident involving Fernando Alonso. Lawson made contact with the Aston Martin driver at Turn 12, sending Alonso into the concrete wall. Following a post-race investigation, the stewards handed Lawson a five-second time penalty, which saw him drop down the final Sprint classification to 13th, stripping him of any points.
Reflecting on the incident, Lawson admitted his frustration but acknowledged he has no control over the stewards’ decisions. “I’d rather be in the points and not have the penalty, but there is nothing I can do about that now,” he told media, including RacingNews365. When asked whether he agreed with the penalty, he said, “Not really, but it is not my decision,” indicating his disagreement with the outcome.
Lawson’s weekend was further marred by a technical setback during qualifying for the main Grand Prix. A battery issue affected his performance, which ultimately left him starting 15th on the grid. Despite showing improved car balance, Lawson said the power loss made it difficult to maximize the car’s potential. He expressed his irritation over the radio during qualifying, and later explained, “We were dropping power through the run, just trying to fight it and fix it. I don’t know what the issue is, but it is frustrating.”
The Kiwi was out-qualified by his Racing Bulls teammate, rookie Isack Hadjar, who managed to secure 11th place on the grid. Lawson admitted it was a disappointing blow, especially given the strong performance he delivered in the Sprint race before the penalty was applied. “We made a good step with the car balance, so it is a shame the issue cost us,” he added.
Despite the setbacks, Lawson remains determined to bounce back. “We had a strong Sprint race, so we’ll try again,” he concluded, showing resilience and a commitment to fight for better results in upcoming races.
Lawson is currently serving as a reserve driver but is seizing every opportunity to prove himself. With performances like his initial Sprint effort, the young Kiwi continues to make a case for a full-time seat in Formula 1.