...
Shopping Cart

No products in the cart.

Liam Lawson Shocked by First-Ever Setback After Racing Bulls Test

LISTEN

0:00 0:00

Highlights

  • Liam Lawson qualified 19th, moved to 18th after Tsunodaโ€™s penalty
  • Racing Bulls used new C6 tyre with a different warm-up strategy
  • Lawson struggled to generate grip and improve pace in Montreal
  • Starting position complicates Lawsonโ€™s chances for points on Sunday
  • George Russell secured pole; teams face grid reshuffles and challenges
  • Piastri leads driver standings; Racing Bulls sixth in constructorsโ€™ points

Liam Lawson found himself searching for reasons after his qualifying session for the Canadian Grand Prix ended with the Racing Bulls driver taking the 19th fastest time. A grid penalty for Yuki Tsunoda pushes Lawson to 18th for the race, but the day still represented a setback for the New Zealander, who faced a setback with Pirelliโ€™s new C6 tyreโ€”a compound the team hoped would boost performance.

Racing Bulls attempted a different tyre strategy during qualifying. The plan included using a build lap at the start of Q1 to warm up the tyres more gradually.

Image

Lawson told reporters that, once the team committed to the approach, it was hard to reverse course. Despite their efforts, he struggled to generate the necessary grip and could not improve his pace on the fast Montreal circuit.

The strategy relied on getting the tyres into the right operating window, but on a lap as short as the one at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, there was little extra time to work with.

Lawson admitted that he has usually felt comfortable on the C6 rubber. This session, however, marked the first time he couldnโ€™t make the compound deliver, either for himself or his side of the Racing Bulls garage.

He suggested the combination of tyre warm-up issues and track characteristics left the team with fewer options. The end result reflected in his 19th-place qualifying, a position lower than any he has recorded this season except for a 20th in China while driving for Red Bull.

Image

For a driver trying to prove himself, these results complicate his quest for points. With Tsunodaโ€™s 10-place penalty bumping him up a slot, Lawson knows he faces a difficult race on Sunday.

He told the media that starting from behind means the team will need to attempt something โ€œquite specialโ€ to make progress and score a result. Despite the disappointment, Lawson is determined to learn from this experience, especially since he had confidence with the C6 compound only races earlier.

Other stories from the Montreal paddock included George Russellโ€™s pole position, some grid reshuffles due to multiple penalties, and the struggle for teams and drivers to fine-tune their one-lap performance on a circuit known for its changing conditions.

Standings after qualifying showed McLarenโ€™s Oscar Piastri leading the driversโ€™ points with 186, followed by teammate Lando Norris on 176, and Max Verstappen with 137 for Red Bull. Racing Bulls, with Lawson and Isack Hadjar, sit sixth in the constructorsโ€™ standings with 28 points.

As the teams look ahead to the Canadian Grand Prix, Liam Lawson must put this unusual tyre issue behind him. The race offers another chance for the Racing Bulls driver to show his skill and adaptability, even if the odds appear steep from a low starting spot on the grid. Verstappenโ€™s recent form and team dynamics add extra intrigue to the race weekend.

Furthermore, questions around Verstappenโ€™s response to racing incidents have been a talking point this season, as covered in recent coverage on clash questions.

Johnmartinez author image
John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio's Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.

Articles:ย 1387

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Seraphinite AcceleratorOptimized by Seraphinite Accelerator
Turns on site high speed to be attractive for people and search engines.