Liam Lawson achieved the best starting position of his Formula 1 career in Baku. Amid a chaotic session with a record number of red flags, the New Zealander not only managed to hold his own but also secured a starting spot on the second row. “I can’t even remember what all happened!” exclaimed a bewildered Lawson immediately after the qualifying session.
“I can’t even remember what all happened,” was Liam Lawson’s initial reaction after the chaotic qualifying session in Baku. The red flag was waved as many as six times, and several drivers – including Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri – ended up in the barriers. “So much was happening. I expected a lot to happen, but not this much.”
However, Lawson was not only able to hold his own amidst all the chaos, but he also managed to drive his Racing Bulls car to the second starting row. “Our car was good when it really mattered in the qualifying. Huge thanks to the entire team, but of course, tomorrow is the most important day.” The driver had to deal not only with his colleagues’ crashes but also with challenging weather conditions. “You can see the rain coming. But because the tires are still warm, you still have grip. So you try to keep pushing against your intuition, but it’s definitely tough.”
Looking Back
Despite Lawson being more than satisfied with his top three starting position, he does not expect to be able to capitalize on his good starting place. “It’s definitely going to be a tough race. We have a good starting position, but we know who we have behind us. That’s where the focus is.”
