Liam Lawson Grabs Small Victory Amid Montreal Struggles

Liam Lawson faced a challenging Canadian Grand Prix weekend but managed to pinpoint a small positive amid the setbacks. Over the course of three practice sessions at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Lawson’s Racing Bulls car showed flashes of real speed.

The team hoped for at least a spot in Q2 based on these performances. However, things went awry when the New Zealander struggled to maximize the new-for-2025 C6 soft tyre during qualifying.

He posted a time that only secured 19th position, which was bumped up to 18th due to a 10-place penalty for Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda.

On race day, additional problems emerged. Racing Bulls changed several power unit components and made suspension adjustments, resulting in Lawson starting from the pit lane. This dramatically reduced his prospects for fighting through the field.

Lawson described the situation simply, noting that while the car felt reasonably good during the race, starting from the pit lane offered little hope of recovery. He stressed that the power unit changes were necessary for reasons unrelated to outright pace, emphasizing that the car’s speed had been clear in practice. For more on the challenges around power unit reliability and team strategies, see Horner, Roeburg, and Verstappen’s insights.

The race itself became an uphill battle. Midway through, Lawson was forced to retire due to a cooling system issue, marking his third retirement from the last 10 races this season.

The early exit capped what he described as his toughest weekend of the current campaign. Even so, Lawson managed to remain focused on progress, saying, “The car was fast through practice.

Obviously, it’s really disappointing not to come away with anything, but we will just keep working on that and I’ll keep working on myself.” Lawson’s consistency has faced challenges so far in 2025.

Three retirements in the year’s first 10 races have limited his ability to build momentum. His time in Montreal will serve as a key learning experience as he and the Racing Bulls outfit look to address shortcomings, particularly in qualifying and race reliability.

Lawson continues to search for results that reflect the potential the car has shown in practice sessions. After Canada, Racing Bulls sits mid-pack in the F1 standings, trailing McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull.

Individual driver points are at a premium, and every race loss adds pressure. With the racing calendar moving on to Austria on June 29, there is little time for the team to regroup.

Lawson’s determination to “keep working on speed” will be crucial if he wants to make a stronger impression as the season continues. The Canadian Grand Prix will be a weekend to forget for Lawson, but he leaves with a sense that the car’s inherent speed provides something to build on.

As the season progresses, all eyes will be on how both Lawson and Racing Bulls turn these glimpses of promise into tangible race results. The ongoing competition and notable clashes between key drivers like Verstappen and Russell continue to shape the championship landscape.

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.