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Liam Lawson Secures Racing Bulls Promise After Belgian GP Upgrade Setback
Highlights
- Racing Bulls introduced a new chassis upgrade at Belgian GP.
- Only Lindblad received the smaller roll hoop modification at Spa.
- Upgrade choice based on Silverstone qualifying; Lindblad outqualified Lawson.
- Lawson will get the upgrade for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
- Permane promised Lawson automatic priority for future upgrades.
Racing Bulls promises Liam Lawson priority on future upgrades after a split-spec decision during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.
The team introduced a smaller roll hoop on the VCARB03, but production and installation constraints meant only one car could run it at Spa.
Team principal Alan Permane said the schedule between Silverstone and Spa made dual fitment unworkable, prompting a performance-based allocation for the new part.
“It was impossible for us to do it to two cars,” said Alan Permane, detailing the Spa timing squeeze.
Permane canvassed both drivers in Austria, offering to delay the rollout until Budapest so both cars matched immediately. Neither Lawson nor Arvid Lindblad wanted to wait.
They agreed the upgrade would go to the better Silverstone qualifier. Lindblad outpaced Lawson by over four tenths, starting ninth to Lawson’s tenth, and took the Spa-specific chassis update.
The roll hoop change targets packaging and aero efficiency, with potential marginal lap time and handling gains. It formed part of the team’s Spa-focused work alongside other Belgian GP upgrades.
Lindblad earned the upgrade by qualifying over four tenths quicker than Lawson at Silverstone.
The split lasts only one event. Lawson receives the same specification for the Hungarian Grand Prix, restoring parity across the garage for Budapest.
Permane added a forward-looking commitment to Liam Lawson: in any future single-car rollout, Lawson gets first call.
“He’ll get it next time without a coin flip or qualifying battle,” Permane confirmed regarding Lawson’s future priority.
The decision underscores how tight turnarounds compress manufacturing, especially across consecutive events. Cost-cap realities also encourage staged introduction when parts supply is marginal.
The roll hoop’s reduced size influences mass distribution and airflow quality over the engine cover and rear wing, with subtle balance benefits in certain conditions.
With Budapest days away, Racing Bulls expects both cars in identical trim, ending the Spa compromise. The team emphasized transparency, referencing its broader approach to Racing Bulls upgrades at Belgium.
The Spa call reflected competitive fairness under constraints rather than favoritism, a point the team believes was reinforced by the on-track allocation method.
Attention now shifts from the 2026 Belgian GP storyline to Budapest, where Lawson and Lindblad resume on equal terms.
Visual Summary
Upgrade Showdown: Lindblad Wins the Golden Roll Hoop
Silverstone Qualifying Decides!
Lawson gets next priority ⏭️
Belgium
Budapest
Split upgrades this week, both equal at Budapest 🏁
🤝
Transparent & Fair: Team lets drivers decide upgrade by head-to-head
No coin flips.
Just pure racing spirit: Winner gets the upgrade
and next time, Lawson’s turn.
Just pure racing spirit: Winner gets the upgrade
and next time, Lawson’s turn.
Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.
