Liam Lawson’s F1 return hits another setback in China, qualifying last and admitting his performance simply isn’t good enough yet.
Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson didn’t hold back after another tough qualifying session, this time in Shanghai. The New Zealander ended up last on the grid for the Chinese Grand Prix, admitting that his performance wasn’t up to the standard required in Formula 1.
After a rough start to the season in Australia, Lawson’s struggles continued in China. He finished Q1 more than 1.2 seconds off the pace, while his Racing Bulls teammates, Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda, impressed by going P2 and P3 in the opening session. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen had no trouble cruising into Q2 on just one set of soft tyres.
Lawson said he’s been fighting to find the right balance with the car and the Pirelli tyres — but he’s not making excuses.
“Honestly, it’s just really tough,” he said after the session. “The window for performance is so tight, but that’s the game. At the end of the day, I have to deal with it.”
He added that traffic and messy timing didn’t help during the session — but acknowledged that the underlying issue was pace.
“Yes, it was chaotic out there, and without the traffic maybe it would’ve looked better… but still, not good enough. We should be quicker, especially over one lap. I just need to get on top of it.”
Despite some saying the car is tailored more for Verstappen’s style, Lawson dismissed the idea that it’s about confidence in the machine.
“It’s not a confidence issue — it’s just about putting everything together,” he explained. “Driving a Formula 1 car requires total trust in what you’re doing. I have that, but when the margins are this small, any mistake costs you. I just haven’t nailed it yet.”
Time, however, is not on his side. In a sport where every session matters, Lawson knows the pressure is real — and the clock is ticking.
“It really is just a matter of time. But the truth is, I don’t have much of it.”
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Lawson Hits Rock Bottom in Shanghai Qualifying Woes Lawson Hits Rock Bottom in Shanghai Qualifying Woes
