Liam Lawson speaks to Alex Powell about what he needs to do in the last 6 races of the 2024 F1 season and looking ahead toward 2025 Video / NZ Herald
Liam Lawson will start Formula One’s US Grand Prix at the back of the grid, despite putting in the 15th-fastest time in Sunday’s (NZT) qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas.
Preparing for his first Grand Prix of 2024, engine penalties have condemned the Kiwi Racing Bulls driver to 20th place on the starting grid, as he aims to impress his Red Bull bosses to end the season and secure a place on next year’s grid.
Backing up from the sprint race earlier in the day, Lawson showed the benefit of time on the track in the opening qualifying session by putting up the third-fastest time, just 0.293s behind Red Bull stablemate Max Verstappen.
While it was admittedly only the first qualifying session, Lawson’s time was still ahead of teammate Yuki Tsunoda and Red Bull rival Sergio Perez.
Meanwhile, seven-time world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton was condemned to a first-session exit, after he finished over 1.1s behind Verstappen.
However, Lawson was not able to set a time in the second qualifying session and was eliminated in 15th position.
McLaren’s Lando Norris took pole position, while Verstappen had to settle for second on the grid.
The reigning world champion was on course to start first, but a crash in the final sector from Mercedes’ George Russell triggered yellow flags that prematurely ended qualifying.
Perez will start in 10th while Tsunoda will start 11th, after he was also eliminated in the second session.
Starting in 20th place sees Lawson mirror his qualifying session from his Formula One debut last year, where he set the slowest time at the Dutch Grand Prix, having been rushed into the then AlphaTauri car after Daniel Ricciardo suffered a broken hand in practice.
On that occasion, Lawson finished 13th at Zandvoort and ahead of Grand Prix winners Charles Leclerc, Valterri Bottas and George Russell.
At the same track, compatriot Brendon Hartley also achieved a 13th-placed finish on his debut in 2017 driving for then Toro Rosso, having also been hit by engine penalties.
Earlier, Lawson made a solid yet unspectacular return to Formula One, placing 16th in the sprint race. Starting 15th on the grid after his best qualifying time on Saturday was deleted, Lawson got through the 19-lap race without major incident before Monday’s 56-lap Grand Prix.
The race saw Lawson complete a sprint race for the first time in his fledgling Formula One career, after he was forced to retire on the opening lap in Qatar last year.
While 16th is hardly a result that will see Lawson hit any major headlines, the 22-year-old Kiwi got the better of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso (18th), a two-time world champion.
As Lawson and Alonso clashed on lap seven, their battle allowed Alpine’s Esteban Ocon to pull off a double overtake on the pair, seeing the Kiwi lose one place.
The move saw Lawson brake late into a corner, before getting the better of Alonso at the exit to reclaim the position he’d just lost. No warning or penalty was issued by the stewards to Lawson after his tangle with Alonso.
“[It was] a tricky start, a tricky first lap,” said Lawson post-race. “We just dropped off a little bit earlier than others. I lost a spot I probably shouldn’t have with Ocon.
“The pace wasn’t so bad, but when you’re in a train like that, it’s hard to overtake. Some stuff to figure out for tomorrow.”
Liam Lawson and Fernando Alonso after the Formula One sprint race in Austin. Photo / Getty Images
However, Alonso didn’t see eye to eye with the Kiwi, after Lawson’s action forced the former world champion into evasive action.
“It’s his career that’s at stake; not mine,” the 43-year-old told Spanish-speaking media. “Liam has six races to prove a lot. It’s probably not the best approach he’s taking.”
As Red Bull battle to regain control of both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships, Max Verstappen took the chequered flag for the first time since winning the sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Victory gave Verstappen a valuable eight points, while title rival Lando Norris netted six for finishing third. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz completed the podium with second place.
Verstappen has now won the last six Formula One sprint races, and of the 16 sprint races in the category’s history, the Dutchman has taken victory in 11 of them.
Elsewhere, Perez and Tsunoda finished ninth and 11th respectively, with neither scoring any points for their respective sides.
Lawson has six Grands Prix and a further two sprint races to confirm his future with Red Bull in Formula One, with his current stint only locked in until the end of the 2024 season.
Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.
