Liam Lawson has opened up about his early season Red Bull axing after scoring his best-ever finish in Formula 1. The 23-year-old came home an impressive sixth in a chaotic Austrian Grand Prix after a determined and measured drive at the Red Bull Ring, in a race that saw only 16 finishers and a number of frontrunners — including Max Verstappen — retire early. Most impressively, Lawson was one of just two drivers to make a one-stop strategy work in the scorching Styrian heat, holding off the experienced Fernando Alonso in the closing laps to secure eight valuable championship points and the best result of his F1 career. “It’s been a very, very tough race,” Lawson told Sky Sports F1 after the race. “I don’t even know how I survived it, to be honest.” The New Zealander was nearly taken out on the opening lap at Turn 3 after Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli misjudged his braking and came flying into the corner. He ended up missing Lawson and taking out Verstappen instead, with both retiring from the race. “I thought when I saw Kimi coming, I was like okay, this is over, but somehow we got out of it,” Lawson added. “Then […]
Yuki Tsunoda has thanked Honda for pushing Red Bull into giving him a test in their F1 car. Despite being within the Red Bull family since 2021, Tsunoda has rarely been mentioned as a serious candidate to be Max Verstappen’s teammate. This season he outperformed RB teammate Daniel Ricciardo who has now been replaced by Liam Lawson. Yet, Lawson is more regularly touted for the Red Bull drive than Tsunoda. But Honda – the Japanese manufacturer who back Tsunoda and are partners of Red Bull – have interjected to request a test drive. “It’s a very good opportunity,” Tsunoda said to Motorsport. “At least I finally can show a bit of my driving and they just can see how I’m driving. “I think it’s very important. So at least it feels great. Finally, they’re giving me an opportunity. “I don’t know if it still happens or not, but there’s something even I heard from them directly. I try to maximise my opportunity. “Definitely Honda helped me to push that testing. I am very appreciative of them. “Obviously, I was pushing since the first race, as well, even for last year. I was able to show results that I [have] stepped […]
