For Liam Lawson, his first Formula 1 season as a regular driver could not have started much worse. After his failure at the start in Melbourne, he also only drives behind in Shanghai, landed in a weak 14th place in the sprint race. The qualifying for the race on Sunday (start at 8:00 a.m. German time) was even more modest.
As the 20th and the last one, Liam Lawson flew out of qualifying in Q1, while teammate Max Verstappen once again took fourth to the top. A desolate result for Lawson, who had taken over the second Red Bull cockpit for this season from Sergio Perez.
RTL-Expert Günther Steiner confirmed when asked that the young New Zealander is probably the disappointment of the previous Formula 1 season. “At the moment everyone is expecting more from him. Max Verstappen is always at the forefront in the same car and Liam Lawson.
For the race on Sunday, he has no overly hopes for the 23-year-old, who had played six races for Racing Bulls last year.
RTL and RTL+* Transfer the Grand Prix of China (from 7:00 a.m.) live as part of the super sports Sunday. In the evening it will be exciting during the second leg in the Nation’s League quarter-finals between Germany and Italy from 8:15 p.m.
Günther Steiner believes that Liam Lawson has already played a lot of loan at Red Bull’s team leader: “I think he just can’t shoot himself on the car. You have to give him a few more races. But I don’t think Red Bull will give him much time,” said the South Tyrolean.
Steiner trusts Piatri to victory in Shanghai
The intermediate conclusion Steiners was much more positive for Oscar Piatri, who had reached the first pole position of his career in qualifying in Shanghai.
“He absolutely earned it. He didn’t do anything wrong and was really happy what you heard in the interview afterwards. He is now in a very good position to win the race on Sunday,” said Steiner about the Australian, who had prevailed on Saturday before George Russel in Mercedes and McLaren-Teammollege Lando Norris.
“Oscar Piatri has the advantage of driving first and making the pace for himself and his tire management,” Steiner believes in realistic victory chances for Piatri, who had only become ninth a week ago in Melbourne.
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