![\"Lawson](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/XPB_1414855_HiRes.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLiam Lawson finished a superb fifth in Monaco. Image: XPB Images<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLiam Lawson finished a superb fifth in Monaco. Image: XPB Images<\/p>\n
Lawson\u2019s strong result came after a dramatic build-up to the race, with a significant technical issue leaving his car in pieces in the garage just hours before the start<\/a>.<\/p>\n Prior to the race, he told Sky Sports\u2019 Martin Brundle he did not think he would even make the start.<\/p>\n Speaking to Sky Sports after the race, Lawson reflected on the pre-race drama.<\/p>\n \u201cI was probably looking quite depressed at that point,\u201d he said on recalling the drama beforehand.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think I was going to race.\u201d<\/p>\n The team ultimately resolved the issue in time, allowing Lawson to take his place on the grid and convert his strong qualifying performance into a career-equalling result on race day.<\/p>\n Buy tickets to the 2026 betr Darwin Triple Crown. Click here <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cA massive job this weekend,\u201d Lawson said.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly from where we started the weekend, we weren\u2019t very quick.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then we\u2019ve honestly changed the car way more than we normally do. And it was in a good place in quali.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then yeah today, turned up to the garage and we had quite a big issue.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw the car in pieces and didn\u2019t think I was racing.<\/p>\n \u201cSo to put it together and just go and have a car that\u2019s very competitive is great.\u201d<\/p>\n In finishing fifth, the Racing Bulls driver equalled the fifth place he achieved at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last season, while also recording the best Monaco result by a New Zealander since Denny Hulme finished third in 1973.<\/p>\n Starting 10th, Lawson immediately gained ground when Max Verstappen stalled at the start and retired shortly afterwards.<\/p>\n He moved into ninth on the opening lap and steadily worked his way forward as incidents, penalties and retirements affected several of the drivers ahead.<\/p>\n While much of the race passed without Lawson battling nearby rivals, late safety cars and a red flag transformed the closing stages into a tense sprint to the finish, with track surface issues at the final corner triggering much of the late-race chaos.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the thing here. My whole race I was by myself. I didn\u2019t see a car in front of me or behind me for pretty much 50 or 60 laps,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I really didn\u2019t know much was going on. So I was just driving my own race and then it went from 50 laps of that to safety cars.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the warm-up was super hard here. Obviously there\u2019s an issue on the track at the last corner, which we started to feel.<\/p>\n \u201cYou could see it building up. And there was a lot of rubber that was building up. And the track was, I haven\u2019t seen it in person, but I guess it was cutting away. And it became very slippery.\u201d<\/p>\n The result completed a memorable afternoon for Racing Bulls, with rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad finishing sixth to secure the best result of his Formula 1 career.<\/p>\n Like Lawson, Lindblad\u2019s race weekend was nearly derailed before it began after his car also suffered issues ahead of the start.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah we had issues as well,\u201d Lindblad said.<\/p>\n \u201cMy guys have been working since 9 o\u2019clock for it. I think Liam had an issue a bit later. So massive job from the mechanics.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom everyone on the RBPT to get both cars out, because I think there was a chance that neither of us were going to start.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd thank god we did because the result of the team was pretty special.\u201d<\/p>\n Lindblad said he spent much of the race battling difficult tyre conditions and traffic before a bold strategy call paid off during the late-race interruptions.<\/p>\n \u201cI was also on a 50-lap-old tyre that had seen better days,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, yeah, it wasn\u2019t the most fun. But obviously the red flag came out at a really nice time for us.<\/p>\n \u201cWe rolled the dice on the strategy, but it paid off in our favour.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t really know what was going on. Because obviously I\u2019d been running around, I think I was P8 on track at the time, and saw safety cars.<\/p>\n \u201cI was like, \u2018right okay, we\u2019re going to pit\u2019. And they were like, \u2018no, stay out\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I asked about three times, \u2018are you sure?\u2019 But in the end I don\u2019t also have the full picture.<\/p>\n \u201cThey see a lot more than me. So I followed their decision.\u201d<\/p>\n The double points finish was Racing Bulls\u2019 first of the season and significantly boosted the team\u2019s position in the constructors\u2019 championship, leaving them just two points behind Alpine in the fight for fifth.<\/p>\n For Lawson, the result continued his strong start to the season, moving him into ninth in the drivers\u2019 standings on 26 points.<\/p>\n