New Zealand driver Liam Lawson had a difficult start to his Formula 1 season at the Australian Grand Prix.
Car troubles in practice and qualifying left him struggling, and a wet and unpredictable race made things even worse. In the end, Lawson crashed out with 10 laps remaining, becoming one of six drivers who failed to finish at Albert Park.
The 23-year-old never seemed comfortable in his Red Bull RB21, which had already shown signs of being slow during pre-season testing. To make matters worse, a modification to his car’s rear wing meant he had to start from the pit lane. Unfortunately, the changes didn’t improve his speed, and he spent most of the race near the back of the field.
As rain returned late in the race, Lawson’s team decided to keep him on dry-weather tyres, hoping he could gain positions before making a pit stop. However, this gamble didn’t pay off—Lawson lost control and spun off before he could change to intermediate tyres.
“We took a chance, hoping at least half the track would stay dry,” Lawson explained. “Unfortunately, it was bucketing down with rain.”
It was a chaotic race, with even experienced drivers like Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz failing to finish. Australian driver Oscar Piastri also spun while fighting for the lead. Critics are now questioning Red Bull’s decision to promote Lawson over Yuki Tsunoda, who remained with Racing Bull.
Despite the tough start, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has given Lawson some time to adjust. However, with a sprint race in Shanghai next weekend and little experience on the track, Lawson will need to improve quickly to support his teammate, Max Verstappen, and earn crucial points for the team.
