Racing Bulls' New Zealand driver Liam Lawson (R) signs an autograph for a fan at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielberg, Austria, on June 28, 2025, ahead of the Formula One Austrian Grand Prix Photo: JOE KLAMAR
It is a day to cherish for New Zealand driver Liam Lawson, who has nailed his best qualifying perfomance of the Formula 1 season.
He will start sixth on the grid for Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix, one place behind his career-best performance, which was fifth in Singapore last year.
Lawson will also take satisfaction on finishing one spot ahead of his former Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen, and his relief to finally show he is a capable driver was evident after the session concluded.
"Everything's felt really good, I've felt really good and we've done a lot of work on the car and on my side as well, just to make it more comfortable for me.
"It's nice to show it today, but obviously tomorrow is obviously the important day."
The day did not start so well for Lawson, as he finished 11th-fastest in the third practice session.
Racing Bulls' New Zealand driver Liam Lawson drives during practice at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielberg, Austria, on June 28, 2025, ahead of the Formula One Austrian Grand Prix. Photo: JOE KLAMAR
But with his team continuing to fine tune his car, things clicked just when everyone was looking for him to deliver.
Lawson was third-fastest in the first qualiyfing phase, then ninth in the second, to ensure he would be lining up his Racing Bulls car in the final qualification, where he sealed his top six finish.
"The last couple of weekends the pace has been there through practice, just in quali it wasn't ... so it's cool to get it across the line," Lawson said.
McLaren's Lando Norris was the fastest driver to secure pole position, ahead of Ferrari driver Charles LeClerc and Australian and championship leader Oscar Piastri.
Norris, who needs a strong result after a collision with Piastri in Canada two weeks ago, is 22 points behind the Australian in the championship after 10 of 24 races.
"I did what I planned to do and when I plan to do something and it goes right, it normally goes very, very well," said Norris, whose pole time of one minute 03.971 seconds was 0.521 quicker than Leclerc's lap.
"The feeling I had today was a feeling I've missed for quite a long time, the feeling I have behind the wheel, in the car, the understanding of where the grip is and how to exploit it. That showed, gaining performance and in lap time."
It was the biggest gap so far this season between first and second on the grid and the pole was the Briton's third of the campaign, after Australia and Monaco where he won both races with the fastest lap.
"Lando has been very quick all weekend and it would have been a tough challenge (to beat him) but I think we easily had enough pace in the car this weekend to be on the front row," said Piastri.
"But we still have some opportunities tomorrow. I'm not planning on finishing third, that's for sure."
George Russell, last year's race winner, qualified fifth for Mercedes and kept the place after stewards gave him a warning for a pitlane breach.
Austrian Grand Prix qualifying results: 1: Lando Norris (McLaren), 2: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 3: Oscar Piastri (McLaren), 4: Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), 5: George Russell (Mercedes), 6: Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), 7: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing), 8: Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber), 9: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 10: Pierra Gasly (Alpine).
- RNZ / Reuters
