Liam Lawson was in an ecstatic temper after recording his best-ever F1 end with sixth within the Austrian Grand Prix, although his race was almost over earlier than it began on the opening lap.
The Racing Bulls driver got here near being taken out by Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli in Flip 3, with the 2 banging wheels because the Italian locked up and sailed straight on.
Whereas Lawson narrowly averted a race-ending crash, it was his former Crimson Bull crew mate Max Verstappen as an alternative that took the brunt of the collision, with each he and Antonelli compelled to retire from the Grand Prix then and there.
Lawson put that little bit of luck to good use as he went on to safe sixth, one in every of simply two drivers to make a one-stop technique work in Spielberg. With monitor temperatures passing 50C, making a set of tyres final was tough – however Lawson was aided by having Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso on his tail.
Alonso was the second driver on a one-stop, and he was capable of present a buffer to some faster two-stopping vehicles behind – even when the sight of the Spaniard in his wing mirrors all afternoon did nothing for Lawson’s coronary heart fee.
“I’m a bit misplaced to be trustworthy, it was a really robust race,” Lawson advised Sky Sports activities F1. “Particularly after Lap 1, I don’t understand how I survived it to be trustworthy.
“I assumed – once I noticed Kimi coming I used to be like, okay, that is over. However someway, we acquired out of it. After which the velocity was good, we made the one-stop work which was key for us. With the temperatures I wasn’t positive about it, however the crew knew, so very, very pleased.
“It’s at all times Fernando who’s behind, I feel he was inside DRS for 70 laps right now! And also you strive to not make a mistake. I assumed he was faster, however I simply spoke to him and he thought I used to be faster, and he was utilizing me to maintain DRS!”
Lawson managed to make his exhausting tyres final 38 laps on Sunday, two longer than Alonso. However his crew mate had an excellent harder ask – Isack Hadjar made to do a 41-lap stint on his exhausting tyre.
That was regardless of the rookie two-stopping, the Frenchman compelled into a really early opening cease after operating vast twice on the opening lap to keep away from contact. He did battle his manner again up into the factors, solely to drop down the order late on.
At first it appeared like his tyres had lastly run out of life, however later Hadjar confirmed it was flooring harm that prevented him scoring in Austria.
“We did an excellent race,” Hadjar stated. “We had been comfortably within the factors, and 15 laps in direction of the top of the race we acquired flooring harm.
“I imply I assumed P8 was safe, after which I used to be shedding greater than a second per lap. And yeah, that was a tricky finish to the race.”
The Racing Bulls rookie was advised the harm was acquired by means of Flip 1, “in all probability the sausage kerb,” and mirrored that every one in all, it was a “disgrace.” This was the primary time since Lawson returned to the crew that he has managed to beat Hadjar on a Sunday, as he recorded simply his second prime 10 of the season.
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