Lawson delivers in Austria with career-best P6 

Liam Lawson has done himself proud, qualifying in sixth and finishing in the same position at the Austrian Grand Prix. 

It was a career-best Formula 1 performance for the Kiwi and his one-stop strategy gamble paid off.

On a day where four drivers failed to finish, including Max Verstappen, Lawson showed racecraft, patience, and composure.

Up front two McLarens battled for supremacy. Lando Norris claimed a historic victory for McLaren, their first at the Red Bull Ring since 2001. He led home teammate Oscar Piastri.

After a delayed start, Norris launched cleanly and Verstappen got a flyer from P7, passing Lawson. But at Turn 2, Kimi Antonelli braked too late and locked up, colliding with Verstappen. Damage to the Dutchman’s car meant it was his first retirement of the season.

Antonelli’s rear clipped Lawson’s front wing as he squeezed through the narrowing gap but the Kiwi avoided any major damage. However, he had dropped back to ninth by the time the safety car deployed. Antonelli was later given a three-place grid penalty drop for causing a collision.

The restart on Lap 4 saw Lawson in ninth behind Bortoleto and Albon. With temperatures soaring, tyre management became critical.

Up front, the two McLarens were duking it out, passing and repassing each other. Lawson was busy fending off Fernando Alonso while also watching his mirrors for undercuts. 

By Lap 14, Albon, Gasly and Colapinto had begun the pit cycle. Albon retired soon after, joining teammate Sainz watching the action.

Lawson continued on while others pitted, climbing as high as third before pitting on Lap 33. He rejoined 12th, ahead of Alonso. As the second half of the race unfolded, Leclerc, Hamilton, and Bortoleto made their final stops around Lap 50. Lawson was back up to P7 behind Ocon who he then passed.

Despite a late charge from Alonzo, Lawson managed to break Alonso’s DRS advantage with four laps to go. Hadjar recovered ground, climbing from 13th to ninth, but later fell back to 12th, outside of the points.

Norris and Piastri finished first and second, Leclerc was third, Hamilton came fourth and Russell, with fresher tyres, caught Lawson on Lap 56. He pushed the Kiwi back to sixth. Lawson finished four seconds behind Russell.

Norris closes in on Piastri’s lead in the Drivers Championship Standings, the gap now just 15 points.

Lawson now sits ahead of Tsunoda in the Drivers’ Championship and Racing Bulls lies sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.

Lawson was ecstatic. “It’s very cool. Somehow we got out of it [lap one drama], and then the speed was good. I’m very, very happy. 

“I feel like the speed has been really good recently. It hasn’t converted in qualifying, so it was nice to do that yesterday. For us now, we just need to keep this momentum going forward.”

If he can carry on like this, Lawson looks like he might just be cementing a seat in F1.