A strong start, then tyre trouble
Liam Lawson finished seventh in the November 8 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, but told Formula 1 that the difficulty had begun on the opening lap. Gaining a position did not mean Racing Bulls could keep the leading teams behind throughout the race.
He qualified fifth and started third after George Russell’s five-place and Charles Leclerc’s ten-place grid penalties. Lawson passed Lando Norris at the start to run behind Kimi Antonelli and briefly considered attacking for the lead.
As the pace settled, the intermediates began to suffer. Lawson said graining started halfway around the first lap. Graining creates small rubber particles on the tyre surface and affects grip; the driver must judge whether pushing through it or backing off offers the better response.
Norris, Isack Hadjar, Russell and Max Verstappen subsequently passed him. Lawson felt his car was damaging its tyres more than those rivals, and that keeping those rivals behind would always have been difficult. He still intended to review whether he could have managed anything differently.
Seventh restored after the late contact
On slicks Lawson also lost out to Oscar Piastri and a recovering Russell. When the rain returned, he hoped to hold seventh on the road but lost the position after contact with Leclerc.
Lawson initially feared the Ferrari’s wing might have damaged his tyre. He said he needed to review the incident rather than declaring its legality himself. The stewards recorded that Lawson remained ahead after contact at Turn 12, with Leclerc passing him five corners later. They found that the contact disrupted Lawson and helped Leclerc close in and pass. A five-second penalty followed, promoting Lawson from eighth at the flag to seventh and six points.
Other drivers’ pre-race grid penalties changed Lawson’s starting position; Leclerc’s post-race time penalty changed the final classification. He would have preferred a fully wet race but was pleased with Racing Bulls’ midfield performance and the points earned.
Results do not yet mean a new contract
Racing Bulls is defending fifth in the constructors standings. Lawson warned against assuming its advantage over Alpine was secure, and expects the latter’s straight-line speed to be useful at the next round in Las Vegas.
His own 2027 seat remains unconfirmed. Lawson thanked team boss Alan Permane for his support but acknowledged that the decision belongs to a larger organisation. Until news arrives, he intends to concentrate on driving.
Brazil supplied evidence from both qualifying and the race in Lawson’s favour, without constituting a contract decision. His account explains the gap between briefly running second and finishing seventh through the combination of a strong launch, tyre condition and the car’s underlying pace.
