{"id":867210,"date":"2026-08-24T23:22:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T23:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/867210\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T23:22:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T23:22:09","slug":"liam-lawson-questions-fia-decision-after-predictable-max-verstappen-crash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/867210\/","title":{"rendered":"Liam Lawson questions FIA decision after \u2018predictable\u2019 Max Verstappen crash"},"content":{"rendered":"

Liam Lawson<\/a> said the decision to have a starting start for the Dutch Grand Prix and do a lap behind the safety car made \u201cno sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Changeable conditions had left the final two corners wet and the FIA reacted in an attempt to produce a safe start.<\/p>\n

Liam Lawson questions Dutch GP start<\/p>\n

Rather than the usual formation lap, the drivers followed the safety car around the track, which restricts the maximum speed they can go at.<\/p>\n

Lawson is amongst those who believe it actually made for a more dangerous start given the drivers were on colder tyres than usual.<\/p>\n

In the end, it was Max Verstappen who had the predictable crash<\/a> as he lost control coming out of the final corner and collided with the wall.<\/p>\n

Lawson said the decision to involve the safety car made \u201cno sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo do a standing start and also do a lap behind the safety car makes no sense,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I\u2019m not sure what the reasoning of that was, but I feel like we could all see that coming.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were all probably saying the same thing before when we got the news, but we didn\u2019t have control over that.\u201d<\/p>\n

More reaction to the Dutch GP on PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n

Winners and losers from the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix<\/a><\/p>\n

Dutch GP Conclusions: No tears for Zandvoort, Verstappen power play, Lawson makes his case<\/a><\/p>\n

Lawson described the early conditions as \u201cimpossible\u201d and noted how the first half of the track was dry and the final two corners were \u201ccompletely soaked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust impossible,\u201d he said. \u201cI mean, the whole first half of the track was dry, and then the last two corners were completely soaked.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo really easy to do that when you have this much power and on a slick tyre. I really lifted out of it because I honestly no confidence to know how much grip I was going to have there, and I think Max was probably trying to get close and make an overtake, but just lost it.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for his temporary return to Red Bull, Lawson felt he extracted as much as he could from the weekend with his P7 finish, the first points he has scored for the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure there\u2019s things that I can do better in the race, and I\u2019ll try and reflect on it,\u201d Lawson, who is now ninth in the standings, said. \u201cBut in terms of positions, I don\u2019t think we had the speed to match the guys in front.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s been a good weekend. It was good to extract everything out of quali yesterday. It\u2019s been tough to try and get my head around this car in a short space of time, but I\u2019ve enjoyed it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe car is completely different [to the Racing Bulls], obviously aerodynamically, and as well, there are always things that you know.<\/p>\n

\u201cPersonally, as drivers, we try and make our cars comfortable for us and there\u2019s some things that when you switch a car for a weekend, you can\u2019t just automatically change those things.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo there\u2019s stuff in this car that aren\u2019t the same as mine in terms of just driver comfort that I\u2019ve had to get my head around without being too specific, but that stuff that has probably been the most challenging.\u201d<\/p>\n

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n

Read next: Wolff defends Mercedes\u2019 Dutch GP team orders decision<\/a><\/p>\n

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