Liam Lawson faced a challenging race weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix, grappling not only with a tricky qualifying session but also with multiple penalties during the event.
Liam Lawson’s troubles began during qualifying at the Bahrain GP, where he encountered a DRS malfunction that knocked him out of Q1. This technical hiccup placed him 17th on the grid, a setback he struggled to recover from. Lawson expressed his frustration, noting that despite the speed he had shown throughout the weekend, he was unable to translate it into a strong qualifying performance because of the DRS issue.
The race itself demanded aggressive tactics from Lawson. Starting at a disadvantage and seeking to gain positions, Lawson found himself pushing the limits. Unfortunately, this resulted in two penalties that further impacted his race. The first was a five-second penalty for making contact with Lance Stroll during a safety car period.
As the race continued, Lawson’s determination to overtake led to a 10-second penalty following a collision with Nico Hulkenberg once racing resumed. Reflecting on these incidents, Lawson admitted that overtaking felt achievable only through daring moves from far back. Despite the setbacks, he noted that the car’s speed was evident, especially during the final laps on soft tires.
Lawson was candid about his recollections of the race incidents, acknowledging that while he needed to review them, he was already aware that these penalties thwarted any chance of securing points. He pointed out that starting from a lower grid position made competitive driving crucial, yet difficult.
Throughout the weekend, Lawson felt the team’s performance had potential. He highlighted the car’s speed across both qualifying and the race, lamenting that they could have been in contention for points if not for the penalties. Nevertheless, the Kiwi driver remained focused on learning from this experience in anticipation of future races.
Liam Lawson’s experience at the Bahrain GP underscored the challenges drivers face when starting from a disadvantaged position. While penalties impacted his race, Lawson’s determination and the evident potential of his car suggest that with a clean race, better results are within reach.
