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Lawson Says He Could Have Done More in Q3 Despite P3 Start in Sao Paulo

By F1

Liam Lawson said he didn’t fully maximise his performance in Saturday’s wet‑weather Qualifying at Sao Paulo, even though he is looking forward to a third‑place start in Sunday’s Grand Prix. The Racing Bulls driver was impressed throughout the session, which began with a significant delay caused by heavy rain before the track was eventually cleared. The challenging conditions and the fact that several front‑running drivers were carrying grid penalties gave Lawson an opportunity to secure fifth place in Q3. With George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen starting from the back, Lawson’s starting position was elevated to third. "We had really good speed today, and I tried to make a gap before the last lap. I caught Fernando [Alonso] in the first one, then I aborted, and then it rained. So, I didn’t really get to do that final lap," Lawson said. "But obviously, we get lucky tomorrow with a couple of places." He added that Racing Bulls would have a better chance of scoring big if the treacherous conditions continued, noting the risk involved and the car’s performance in the dry. Lawson was also asked about his future with the team, as Racing Bulls have yet to announce their 2027 driver line‑up. "I mean, yeah, but it’s been like this for months now," he told F1 TV. "So, at this point, honestly, every time I get in the car, I’m just trying to enjoy it. And today I did. You know, there’s a lot of horsepower in these cars, not much grip today. So, you’re really, like, there are places where it’s probably five seconds before you get to full throttle and it’s different for us. So, yeah, at the moment, being in the car is the most enjoyable part, I’d say." Meanwhile, Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad had to stop his car during Q2 due to a power‑unit problem, ending his session prematurely. He qualified 14th and will start 12th in the race after the various grid penalties are applied. "Q1 was good," Lindblad said. "I felt really good, very happy. I mean, I wasn’t able to do the last lap, but I think on the penultimate lap I was P3 or something. So, I mean, I was fast, I was feeling good, and then Q2, from the beginning, the car felt very strange. And then a PU (power unit) issue."