Liam Lawson expressed surprise at Racing Bulls’ impressive performance during qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne’s Albert Park. Both Lawson and his teammate, Arvid Lindblad, secured outstanding grid positions, starting eighth and ninth respectively, after earning their spots in the top-10 shootout. This achievement sets the stage for a potential points finish, provided the cars maintain reliability throughout the race.
Development Gains Since Bahrain Testing
Earlier testing at Bahrain had shown Racing Bulls trailing its midfield competitors, making the weekend’s results particularly unexpected for Lawson. He acknowledged their Saturday outcome as
“definitely what we were shooting for”
, while also stating,
“but we probably weren’t expecting this, especially after Bahrain.”
Despite Bahrain being a track that did not favor Racing Bulls, recent upgrades brought to Melbourne, including a new floor, engine cover, cooling louvres, and rear corner components, have noticeably boosted performance. Lawson noted,
“On paper, they looked great, but until you put them on the car, you don’t know,”
adding,
“It’s a great feeling to know it’s worked well this weekend, and to have two cars in Q3 is very, very good.”
Power Unit Reliability Strengthens Performance
The engine’s reliability has become a crucial factor in Racing Bulls’ progress, with the power unit being the first developed by Red Bull Powertrains in partnership with Ford. Lawson praised the collaborative efforts behind the engine’s success:
“Honestly, the efforts from Ford and Powertrains have been very, very strong so far,”
and reflected,
“To have an engine that’s working very well, obviously, we find out tomorrow how reliable all the cars are.”
He added,
“But we’ve honestly had a strong pre-season with reliability so far, and our long run pace has been okay as well.”
Outlook for the Race and Importance of Reliability
Looking ahead to the race, Lawson remains cautiously optimistic. He said the objective is to maintain their qualifying positions but admitted there is uncertainty about how Racing Bulls compares to other teams during race conditions. Highlighting the critical role of dependability, he commented,
“We’ve had good long run pace, but I think the biggest thing is going to be having a reliable car.”
