Lawson celebrates fast start
Liam Lawson says he made one of the best starts in his Formula 1 career before picking up more crucial championship points after finishing seventh in the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The New Zealand driver started 11th on the grid for the race, which was held at the Sepang Circuit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Heavy rain delayed the race start on October 4 and the initial tyre choice proved crucial for drivers once the action got underway.
Visa Cash App Racing Bulls had Lawson, pictured, and teammate Arvid Lindblad on intermediate wets while rivals Alpine chose dry tyres for their drivers, who dropped down the field early on.
Lawson and Lindblad made impressive starts and the former soon found himself vying with multiple world champion Max Verstappen for third.
The pair then fitted hard tyres under the first safety car, which left them a little vulnerable as out-of-position front runners moved up through the field, before switching to softs for the final stint.
Racing Bulls had plenty to celebrate at the chequered flag with both drivers collecting points after Lindblad snuck into the top 10 on the final lap. Red Bull driver Verstappen won the race ahead of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
Lawson says: “It feels great to be taking home double points from the Bahrain GP in Malaysia, as we continue to fight for P5 in the championship.
“I had one of the best starts of my life today and then we managed to maintain a strong position at the front of the midfield for the duration of the race.
“Our car has been very good all weekend and the strategy throughout the race was on point.
“We’ll be taking all the positives and learnings from this weekend as we head to Singapore. It’s a sprint weekend for the first time there too, so I’m looking forward to maximising all the point-scoring opportunities.”
Lawson remains ninth in the drivers’ standings on 65 points, while Racing Bulls are fifth on the teams’ ladder with 90 points and Alpine are sixth with 68.
Alan Permane, Racing Bulls team principal, says the team got the basics right in Malaysia, especially choosing intermediate tyres for the start.
Next on the F1 competition calendar is the Singapore Grand Prix on October 11.
