<\/p>\n
\nNew Zealand F1 driver Liam Lawson.
\nPhoto: DPPI \/ PHOTOSPORT\n<\/p>\n
New Zealand driver Liam Lawson is hoping to ride the wave of momentum his Racing Bulls team has shown in recent weeks.<\/p>\n
The Formula 1 championship heads to Baku in Azerbaijan this weekend, a street circuit in the city on the coast of the Caspian Sea that has a reputation for being chaotic because of the stone walls that line the track.<\/p>\n
Lawson had a sweet run of results before the summer break picking up points in three of the four races, but since then has missed the top ten.<\/p>\n
He finished 12th at the Dutch Grand Prix after being clipped by Carlos Sainz<\/a> and then finished 14th at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza after a disastrous qualifying session.<\/a><\/p>\n “Despite a tricky weekend in Monza, the momentum from the team has been very good recently and the car has been fast, so I’m looking forward to debuting in an F1 car this weekend,” Lawson said.<\/p>\n Much of that momentum has come from his team-mate Isack Hadjar who claimed his first podium when he finished third in the Netherlands which has shot him up to ninth in the Drivers’ Championship.<\/p>\n \nNew Zealand driver Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls (L) and Carlos Sainz of Williams crash during 2025 Dutch Grand Prix. At Monza both Racing Bulls cars started at the rear of the grid but climbed their way up through the field with Hadjar finishing tenth.<\/p>\n Racing Bulls chief technical officer Tim Goss admits there were plenty of challenges for them in determining their wing set-up for the track.<\/p>\n “Baku is a circuit with a very unique character that throws up difficult questions for our engineers when we seek the best set-up,” he said.<\/p>\n “It has an extremely long start-finish straight combined with a tight twisting section of a more traditional street circuit.”<\/p>\n Since its debut in 2016 only two drivers have won from pole.<\/p>\n “Baku is a very unique track with a lot of ninety degree corners, which means the car is up against the walls throughout the race. I’ve never raced here in Formula 1, but I have in F2, which I really enjoyed,” Lawson said.<\/p>\n There have been seven different winners in the eight races held at Baku (there was no race in 2020 due to Covid).<\/p>\n The McLarens are again expected to be the main contenders while Ferrari should be strong with Charles Leclerc chasing a fifth successive Baku pole position.<\/p>\n Max Verstappen should also be put in the mix after the Red Bull driver won from pole at Monza.<\/p>\n Baku could provide a side show between Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda with commentators suggesting those two could be fighting for one seat in the Red Bull-Racing Bulls set-up next year.<\/p>\n Lawson is 15th in the standings with 20 points, while Tsunoda is 19th with 12.<\/p>\n \nF1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan at Baku<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: XAVI BONILLA \/ AFP\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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