Lawson banks fourth-straight points finish, takes ninth in Austria

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Author: Alex Powell,
Publish Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026, 10:04am

Liam Lawson leads Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad at Formula One's Austrian Grand Prix. Photo / Getty Images

Liam Lawson has driven home for a fourth consecutive lot of Formula One points by taking ninth at the Austrian Grand Prix.

As extreme temperatures left drivers having to be conservative on whether they attacked or defended in Spielberg, the Kiwi completed a professional drive to finish where he started, and net his sixth lot of points this campaign, with another two to his total.

In fact, just eight grands prix into 2026, Lawson is just one points finish away from equalling the seven times he managed last season. What’s more, with 30 points already in the bank, Lawson is now just eight shy of equalling his tally from 2025.

In a week that started with speculation that Lawson’s head could be on the chopping block at Racing Bulls, the 24-year-old gave another reminder of the value he gives to Red Bull’s junior side, leading the team to another double-points finish as teammate Arvid Lindblad claimed 10th.

“The car’s been good all weekend,” Lawson said post-race. “Compared to last week, we’ve definitely made a step in long-run pace.

“I’m very happy.”

There was, however, a potentially awkward moment for Racing Bulls to deal with, as Lindblad appeared to be given preferential treatment by the team for the first set of pit stops, only for the favour to be returned on the second, as Lawson undercut his teammate.

At the front of the grid, Mercedes’ George Russell turned pole position into his second victory of the year, to bank 25 points, and claw 10 back on teammate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who finished third, as less than two seconds covered the top three.

With speculation over his future, Max Verstappen moved from fifth on the grid to finish second in his best result of the season to lead all four Red Bull cars claiming points in the organisation’s home race.

While other drivers were conservative with their tyres, Verstappen’s aggression played into his hands, as the only driver to make up any ground of note on track.

Antonelli’s lead at the top of the championship has been cut to 40 points from Russell, while Mercedes’ lead Ferrari by 98 points in the constructors championship.

Lawson remains 10th in the drivers championship, but cut the gap to Alpine’s Pierre Gasly – who finished 13th – for the title of “best of the rest”, outside of the top four teams.

With track temperatures in the low 50s, drivers were tested by overheating of their brakes, and tyres underneath, as three-stop strategies even came into consideration.

Starting ninth, Lawson got around the Red Bull of Isack Hadjar before the end of the first of 71 laps, after also going wheel to wheel with Lando Norris’ McLaren.

It took just two laps for the extreme heat to take its toll, as Valterri Bottas’ Cadillac brakes caught fire, and forced him out of the race, before teammate Sergio Perez followed on lap five.

On lap four, Lawson complained of fire in his car but remained on track, and lost out to his former teammate as Hadjar retook eighth, and pulled away as part of the top eight.

Those high track temperatures left most drivers unable to attack, due to the increased wear on tyres, and meant pit strategy was going to play its part in any overtaking, as Lawson climbed as high as seventh once the first stops started to take place.

On lap 19, Racing Bulls made the call to pit Lindblad before Lawson – despite being the trailing car – before the Kiwi did the same one lap later. And while Lawson emerged one place ahead of his teammate, Lindblad having a lap to get his tyres up to temperature saw him get around Lawson on lap 22.

A virtual safety car on lap 25, triggered when Williams’ Carlos Sainz stopped on track, offered some respite, as the 19 remaining drivers were afforded time to consolidate their positions. When racing resumed, Lawson was less than two seconds back from Lindblad, and kept hot on his teammate’s heels with close to three seconds separating him from the car behind.

As the halfway stage approached, Lawson moved within a second of Lindblad, and gave himself the chance to use overtake mode, only for temperatures to stop any potential pass.

Liam Lawson leads Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad at Formula One's Austrian Grand Prix. Photo / Getty Images

Liam Lawson leads Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad at Formula One's Austrian Grand Prix. Photo / Getty Images

By lap 40, Lawson’s cause was hindered even further when lapping the two Aston Martin cars, as the Racing Bulls battled to get around both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, despite the blue flags.

Six laps later, Lawson was given the rub of the green by Racing Bulls, and was pitted before Lindblad for a set of fresh mediums, and undercut his teammate to move back to ninth, where he’d finish.

Formula One continues for the second of a two-race double header next week, with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.