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Liam Lawson Calls Monza Result ‘Not Ideal’ After Frustrating Race
Highlights
- Liam Lawson received an engine penalty at the Italian Grand Prix.
- Penalty pushed Lawson to the back of the race grid.
- Lawson finished 14th despite strong race pace and efforts.
- Virtual safety car hindered Lawson’s ability to gain positions.
- Lawson continues substituting for Isack Hadjar during recovery.
- Next race for Lawson and Red Bull is Spain, September 13.
Liam Lawson labels his Italian Grand Prix as “not ideal” after an engine-related grid penalty drops him to the back at Monza. He finishes 14th for Red Bull.
The penalty follows Red Bull adding a new power unit to Isack Hadjar’s allocation. As Hadjar’s stand-in, Lawson absorbs the grid drop under power unit pool limits.
Red Bull shapes its weekend around race pace, focusing on long-run preparation. Lawson reports Saturday issues are addressed, and the RB12 shows stronger balance on Sunday.
“We had the speed to come through,” says Lawson, confident points were possible without late-race interruptions.
Starting last imposes a near 30-second deficit at Monza’s full race duration. That time loss limits overtaking windows and compresses undercut options against the midfield.
Lawson still carves forward but misses the top ten for only the fourth time this season. He sits 14th at the flag after steady, low-error execution.
Starting from the back at Monza effectively costs around half a minute across race distance.
A late virtual safety car proves decisive. Rivals pit cheaply, flip tyre offset, and blunt Red Bull’s strategy, leaving Lawson on the wrong side of track position.
Lawson argues points were realistic without the VSC effect, given Red Bull’s long-run speed. The car’s Sunday pace validates the team’s practice focus.
Regulatory exposure remains the underlying theme. Power unit pool usage forces compromises that even robust race pace cannot fully offset at a slipstream-heavy circuit.
Red Bull and Lawson now target clean weekends and penalty avoidance to convert race speed into points. Spain on September 13 offers the next opportunity.
Virtual safety car timing rewards midfield rivals who stop cheaply and neutralizes Red Bull’s tyre offset.
Lawson continues to deputize while Hadjar recovers, handling increased scrutiny and expectations. Recent criticism and appraisal only sharpen the focus on execution and strategy.
Visual Summary
GRID PENALTY
VSC
Finish P14
Started
P20
→
Finished
P14
P20
→
Finished
P14
“
We had the speed to come through.
The penalty made it tough, but we showed we could fight.
”
We had the speed to come through.
The penalty made it tough, but we showed we could fight.
”
Liam Lawson, Monza 2026
Eyes on Spain 🇪🇸 – Next chance: Sep 13
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.
