Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson was narrowly edged out of Q1 by 0.039 seconds behind Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto, finishing 16th in qualifying at the Imola GP.
After being demoted back to Racing Bulls after just three races with Red Bull at the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season, Lawson has failed to break into Q3 since the swap with Yuki Tsunoda.
With another disappointing grid position of 16th during Imola GP qualifying, Lawson states it is “just unfortunate” after not being able to complete his final lap in Q1.
“Yeah, not getting to do the last lap is, it’s a shame. We’ve had a fast car and and we put things together today.”
Lawson further commented, saying, “So it’s, yeah just a, it’s a tough one to swallow honestly, after the last few races as well. Just, yeah, I think we were fast enough today, it’s just unfortunate.”
Lawson’s teammate Isack Hadjar finished in 9th position, only 3 tenths away from being in the top 5, demonstrating the pace Racing Bulls have had during this weekend at Imola.
Lawson continuing to “work hard” after a frustrating weekend.
After a frustrating weekend for the young Kiwi driver at Imola, Lawson is looking to continue his hard work and bounce back from the “hits” he has been taking.
When speaking to the media post-qualifying session, Lawson reflected on the effort he is giving compared to the performance he is gaining, which is hard to swallow.
“Yeah, it’s sport can be like this, you know, working harder than ever and putting everything towards it and yeah, it’s just a shame to keep taking the hits, but obviously I’ll continue to work hard and I’m sure that moment will come.”
“Frustrating weekend. I think as a whole we’ve, you know, done our homework in the best way possible.”
Minimal opportunities to be gained during the race.
Looking ahead to the race, Lawson has an opportunity to shift his weekend from frustration to a points-scoring finish.
Starting 16th, Lawson will need to rely on some good fortune during the race with a safety car or a collision that gains him some cheap places.
With the midfield mixed up for the start of the race, with the two Aston Martin and Williams drivers starting in the top ten, as well as no Ferrari drivers making it into Q3, breaking into the points will be extremely difficult.
The minimal number of overtaking areas around the Imola track will further complicate Lawson’s task, making his hopeful run through the field even more challenging.
