Liam Lawson’s Best Result This 2025 Formula 1 Season: 12th on the Grid for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
After a disappointing qualifying performance during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend, New Zealander Liam Lawson managed to secure his best result of the 2025 Formula 1 season. With a time of 1m 28.191s in Q2, he missed out on Q3 by a narrow margin but will start tomorrow’s race in 12th position.
Lawson’s Struggles at Jeddah Corniche Circuit and His Comfort Levels with the VCARB 02
While Lawson expressed his disappointment about missing Q3 by a small margin, he should take plenty of confidence to the track tomorrow as his team-mate Isack Hadjar, who has had an impressive start to the season, will start behind him in 14th. When asked about his comfort levels with the VCARB 02, Lawson admitted that he’s rising to the challenge after his early demotion from Red Bull earlier this season.
Every day, Lawson feels more comfortable with the VCARB 02, especially at tracks like Jeddah Corniche Circuit, which demands high levels of commitment due to its speed and high-commitment corners. However, he admitted that sector one is a weakness for his Racing Bulls package, an area they will be focusing on improving tomorrow and in the future.
The Challenges of Jeddah Corniche Circuit and Lawson’s Race Day Expectations
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit presents a challenging and dangerous race for the 20 drivers, with limited run-off areas and high-speed corners demanding incredible levels of concentration and commitment. Lawson believes that this is the type of track where putting it up against the wall can make all the difference, and he thinks his commitment has been the best aspect of his performance this weekend.
Despite the challenges, Lawson remains cautiously optimistic about his chances for race day. He admits that they didn’t do too many long runs during practice sessions, but if they have a pace advantage, there’s good overtaking potential at Jeddah Corniche Circuit. However, he is unsure whether they will have that pace advantage or not.
