This weekend, during Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying, Racing Bulls drivers Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar failed to secure spots in the top 10. Despite their efforts, the two teammates had to settle for 12th and 14th places respectively on the starting grid.
Lawson outqualifies Hadjar for the first time this season
For Liam Lawson, this 12th place is a small achievement. Indeed, it’s the first time since the beginning of the season that he has managed to outqualify his French teammate. The New Zealander appeared satisfied with his performance: “It’s good to extract everything from the car. The field is very tight, with teams like Williams and Alpine who have made recent progress. We did a good job with the car and delivered the best package we could.”
Lawson also highlighted the challenge of adapting to a circuit like Jeddah, which is very different from Bahrain where the previous Grand Prix took place: “Every weekend is like this. We’re coming from a very technical circuit and you need to fully commit here. You find more time if you push even harder, but it will be difficult.”
Hadjar eliminated in Q2 despite his car’s potential
For his part, Isack Hadjar couldn’t make it past Q2. The Frenchman, who had shown strong performances since the season began, conceded that his 14th place was the best his car could achieve under these conditions: “I needed to find two tenths and that was the best the car could do. I didn’t have a good feeling in the corners, I don’t have a consistent balance throughout the lap and constantly need to adapt.”
Despite this disappointment, Hadjar remains optimistic for the race: “We haven’t done any laps with fuel, so we don’t really know what to expect for tomorrow, but we’ll do our best.” (Who knows, perhaps overtaking opportunities will present themselves on this fast and narrow track?)
Racing Bulls satisfied with progress but aiming higher
At Racing Bulls, the team appears satisfied with the progress made, although the goal remains to regularly compete for the top 10. The engineers will undoubtedly work tirelessly to find the perfect setup and allow Lawson and Hadjar to shine in the race.
See you tomorrow to follow the adventures of both teammates on the Jeddah circuit. Between the walls that brush past the cars and the long straights conducive to overtaking, the spectacle promises to be exciting!
