The Racing Bulls team from Faenza experienced a frustrating weekend in Montreal as Liam Lawson retired from the race and teammate Isack Hadjar finished outside the points in 12th place. Lawson faced multiple setbacks, including starting from the pit lane due to a power unit change, before being forced to retire because of cooling problems, highlighting the challenges the team encountered during the event.
Pre-Race Penalties and Early Difficulties for Racing Bulls
Before the race even began, the Racing Bulls drivers were dealt significant penalties that compromised their starting positions. Hadjar was moved back three places on the grid for impeding Carlos Sainz during qualifying, while Lawson was relegated to start from the pit lane after a mandatory power unit replacement. These penalties set the tone for a difficult weekend for the Faenza-based squad.
Lawson’s Race Cut Short by Mechanical Issues
Despite showing promising speed throughout the weekend, Lawson’s race came to an early halt when the car was called back into the pits and subsequently retired due to unresolved cooling issues. The team expressed their disappointment, acknowledging the car’s potential but also the technical setbacks they had to face.
Lawson expressed determination to improve in future races, focusing on both his own performance and enhancing the car’s reliability as the season continues.
Hadjar’s Struggles with Tire Wear and Race Pace
Isack Hadjar battled challenges throughout the race, starting 16th and ending in 12th place, missing out on his streak of point finishes since Imola. Early tire graining hampered his pace and a delayed pit stop saw him lose additional positions. For a large portion of the race, Hadjar was stuck in a DRS train, which limited overtaking opportunities and left him vulnerable to faster cars overtaking towards the end.
“It was a challenging Sunday here in Montreal,”
said Hadjar.
“We had some car issues from the beginning of the weekend, so we will review everything with the team and come back stronger for the next race in Austria in two weeks.”
—Isack Hadjar, Driver
Racing Bulls Face The Need to Rebuild Ahead of Upcoming Races
With both drivers struggling and Lawson’s retirement highlighting critical reliability concerns, Racing Bulls must work intensively to address their technical and strategic weaknesses. The setbacks in Montreal emphasize the urgent need for the team to regroup and improve as attention turns to the next race in Austria, where the team aims to recover from this disappointing performance.
