Racing Bulls achieve double points in Austria
Racing Bulls secured a double points finish at the Austrian Grand Prix, with drivers Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad both contributing to the team’s strong performance. The outcome has been described as a solid result for the team, with Lawson noting a significant improvement in their long-run pace. This achievement places Racing Bulls just 13 points behind Alpine in the battle for fifth place in the Teams’ Championship.
Both Lawson and Lindblad demonstrated their potential by reaching Q3 during Saturday’s Qualifying session, lining up in P9 and P10 respectively for the main race. However, the race start for Lawson was not without its challenges. Prior to the event, it was confirmed that he would be investigated for an alleged practice start infringement. This potential issue was later resolved, with stewards determining that Lawson’s actions were appropriate given the circumstances, and no penalty was issued.
Early race drama and team dynamics
The early stages of the Austrian Grand Prix presented further drama for Lawson. Within a few laps of the race commencing, the New Zealander reported over the radio that there was fire on his car. Reflecting on this incident after the race, Lawson explained that his brakes seemed to be on fire during the first stint, causing smoke and making it difficult to breathe for several laps. Despite this alarming start, he was able to continue racing, and the issue with his brakes eventually settled down. He attributed the initial problem to the car’s weight and traffic during the first lap.
A notable dynamic unfolded between the two Racing Bulls teammates during the race. While Lindblad managed to get ahead of Lawson at one point, Lawson later retook his position through an undercut strategy. Lawson ultimately finished in P9, just ahead of Lindblad in P10, securing valuable points for the team.
The race also saw an internal team-mate controversy play out, particularly during the second stint. Lawson expressed irritation after the race, stating that Lindblad attacked him against explicit team instructions to hold position. During the initial phase of the race, both drivers were running in ninth and tenth ahead of their planned first pitstops. Lindblad was brought into the pits first due to an undercut threat from Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto. This inadvertently placed Lindblad in a position to attack Lawson a lap later as Lawson rejoined the race.
Lindblad managed to pass Lawson, who had been instructed to lift off for brake management. Lawson responded by executing a risky overtake to regain his position. However, the main point of contention arose later when Lindblad was explicitly ordered by his race engineer, Pierre Hamelin, not to overtake Lawson. Despite this instruction, Lindblad questioned the order, and the following lap, he again passed Lawson, prompting bewilderment from Lawson and a frustrated exchange with his own race engineer, Alexandre Iliopoulos.
Lawson later complained about being ‘stuck’ behind Lindblad in that stint before he was enabled to move back ahead with his own one-lap undercut. Lindblad, when questioned about Lawson’s comments, acknowledged the instruction to hold position but maintained that the outcome of P9 and P10 for the team worked out well, with no threat from behind.
Team progress and future outlook
Lawson praised the team’s progress throughout the weekend at the Red Bull Ring, highlighting the car’s consistent performance. He specifically noted the improvement in long-run pace compared to the previous week, expressing his satisfaction with the team’s advancements.
Lindblad also shared positive sentiments regarding the team’s performance, though he acknowledged areas for personal improvement, particularly with hard tyres and braking. He expressed happiness with the overall race outcome, despite the internal team dynamics. Lindblad’s excitement is now focused on the upcoming British Grand Prix, which will be his first home race as an F1 driver.
The 18-year-old driver commended the team for their efforts, particularly for the upgrades introduced over the past couple of races. He believes the team is in a strong position, and he is looking forward to the race at Silverstone.
Source: formula1.com
