F1: Liam Lawson manages 12th in a drama-filled Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Words: Andrew Sluys
Liam Lawson managed to cross the finish line in twelfth position after a collision with his Racing Bulls team mate almost ended his race in Azerbaijan.
Lawson was hit by Lindblad after the British driver went too deep into turn one, following a safety car restart late in the race.
Following the collision, Lindblad went on to finish in sixth position, while Lawson tumbled down the order.
“I just got smoked,” said Lawson when speaking to Sky Sports UK following the race.
“We’re all coming into turn one on the restart and I just got smoked from my left. It put a hole in my floor as well. I don’t really know what gap he was looking for, in the middle of both of us going into turn one. I just don’t really understand it.”
After the race, Lindblad told media that he never intended to take Lawson out of the race, and was going to apologise.
“Personally, I’d obviously like to apologise to Liam and the team. I already went to Liam and I said sorry, just for the matter of fact that I took him out of the race, [rather] than for anything intentional. I think if you watch the incident back you can see there was nothing I could have done.”
“I was going to have a go on Esteban, he moved at the last moment and there was nowhere I could go. I apologised to the team and to Liam, because there could have been two of us up there today, but also on the other side, we’ll take the points. We were the best of the rest on a weekend where we struggled, so we’re looking forward to Malaysia.”
Further towards the front of the pack, George Russell claimed victory, with Max Verstappen crossing the finish line less than one second afterwards.
Hadjar rounded out the podium, with Leclerc and Antonelli claiming the other two top-five positions.
