Liam Lawson will start the Italian Grand Prix Sunday race from 19th position after failing to advance past the first qualifying session at Monza. His early exit from qualifying marked a disappointing end to what had shown promise for the New Zealand driver heading into the weekend.
Driving for Racing Bulls, Lawson was eliminated in Q1 following the deletion of his final lap due to exceeding track limits, placing him at the bottom of the timing sheets. However, a penalty for his teammate Isack Hadjar, involving a pit lane start after a power unit change, has allowed Lawson to move up one spot for the race grid.
Details on Lawson’s Performance and Mistakes
Lawson initially recorded a banker lap time of 1 minute 20.279 seconds, which at one point placed him 11th. As other drivers improved their times, he slipped down to 20th, just 0.153 seconds short of making it to Q2. His second qualifying attempt showed potential until he ran wide at the second Lesmo corner due to understeer, causing the lap to be invalidated and ending his session prematurely.
A really disappointing session. Our lap was compromised when I picked up dirty air and had understeer through the middle of Turn 6, which caused me to run off track. It’s a shame because the car has been very quick all weekend. We had a few issues, but the guys in the garage worked hard and got everything sorted in time for qualifying,
Lawson explained.
This track isn’t straightforward, but there are overtaking opportunities. Starting from where I am, there are a lot of cars to get through; it’s going to be tough, but I’ll try my best to move forward.
Racing Bulls Struggle and Hadjar’s Pit Lane Penalty
Lawson’s best time was 0.442 seconds too slow to advance into the second qualifying round, rounding off a difficult day for Racing Bulls as Hadjar also failed to progress beyond Q1 after qualifying 16th. This marked Hadjar’s first early qualifying exit, just one week after achieving his maiden Formula 1 podium at Zandvoort.
It was a frustrating Qualifying session for us. Carlos was out there on used tyres, and I felt like he was fighting hard to find the right track position. I still don’t know what he was doing, but my outlap was compromised, which was followed by a mistake I made in my push lap,
Hadjar said.
Overall, though, our car is very fast around here. I was really happy with the feeling I had this morning in FP3 and during my first run in Q1, but starting last means that we’re going to have a challenging race. We’ll try our best to make a great recovery tomorrow.
Weekend Difficulties and Team Repairs
Lawson’s struggles began earlier in the weekend when he missed the end of final practice on Saturday due to floor damage, hindering his running. He ended FP3 in 16th place, nearly eight-tenths behind the fastest time set by Lando Norris. Despite quick repairs by his mechanics, Racing Bulls delayed sending both their cars out until late in Q1, reducing the margin for error during qualifying.
Front-Runner Highlights and Pole Position
At the front of the field, Max Verstappen claimed pole position with a remarkable new lap record of 1 minute 18.792 seconds at Monza. This was Verstappen’s first pole since Silverstone and set the fastest lap in Formula 1 history with an average speed of 264.682 km/h. McLaren drivers Norris and Oscar Piastri followed in second and third place, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc excited local fans by qualifying fourth.
Lewis Hamilton recorded the fifth-fastest time but will serve a five-place grid penalty carried over from the Dutch Grand Prix, which will push him back to 11th on the starting lineup.
Looking Ahead to Race Day Challenges
Liam Lawson faces a tough race with substantial progress required to climb through the midfield, as starting 19th places him behind multiple competitors. His comments reflect the uphill battle he anticipates at Monza but also his intent to capitalize on overtaking spots this circuit offers. The penalty to Hadjar will adjust the starting grid slightly, granting Lawson one position higher than his qualifying result.
With Monza known for its high speeds and overtaking opportunities, how Lawson recovers during the race will be a key point of interest. Meanwhile, Verstappen’s pole position sets the stage for a highly competitive contest this Sunday.
