Thanks to a clever strategic adjustment, Liam Lawson managed to secure a top-10 finish at Interlagos, crossing the line ahead of his teammate Isack Hadjar.
The New Zealander qualified in seventh place on Saturday and finished the race in the same position. Isack Hadjar performed better in qualifying, starting from fifth on the grid, but ended the Grand Prix in eighth. The key difference between the two Racing Bulls drivers was the chosen strategy: the Frenchman made two pit stops, while Lawson completed the race with a single stop.
Intense battle in the final laps
“I kept losing time on track and we had planned a two-stop race. During the first stop I lost a position to Pierre Gasly, and I would have definitely lost more positions in the second stop. We knew we were fast, but we had to find a way to make it work to our advantage. Going for a one-stop was incredibly tight, but it gave us track position and we had enough pace to stay ahead,” the Racing Bulls driver said.
Towards the end of the race, a DRS train formed right behind Lawson, starting with his own teammate, but he managed to hold firm until the final lap and secure seventh place.
“It was really stressful. I was trying to keep the right lines, manage the energy and take care of the tyres, which were very sensitive,” he admitted.
Despite Lawson finishing ahead of his teammate, Helmut Marko expressed harsh criticism towards him, calling him “inconsistent”, while instead praising Isack Hadjar.
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