\u201cIt\u2019s good, last year sucked<\/a>.\u201d Lawson beamed immediately after qualifying. \u201cI\u2019ve always liked driving this track. <\/p>\n \u201cI enjoyed practice last year and getting used to the track. Obviously, it was a disappointing weekend overall, but it\u2019s nice to have a strong start. It\u2019s a very fun track.\u201d<\/p>\n In part, 2025\u2019s struggles came down to being underprepared in a difficult car<\/a>, on a track he\u2019d never driven on, after missing the last practice session with a pneumatic issue.<\/p>\n He\u2019d eventually crash out of the race after being left on slick tyres for one lap too long as rain fell. Less than a month later, he was demoted to Racing Bulls <\/a>in one of the most brutal driver switches in the sport\u2019s history.<\/p>\n Now, he has the chance to right those wrongs. <\/p>\n Considerable time has gone into Lawson\u2019s preparation for Melbourne, not just with pre-season tests in Barcelona <\/a>and Bahrain<\/a>, but extensive work in the simulator, as Racing Bulls gave him every chance to adapt to 2026\u2019s regulation changes.<\/p>\n And while points aren\u2019t a guarantee, as all teams continue to learn about their new cars, Lawson is better placed than most to make the most of his qualifying position.<\/p>\n Starting eighth sees Lawson as the second-placed of Red Bull\u2019s four cars, one ahead of teammate Arvid Lindblad, and 12 clear of four-time world champion Max Verstappen. Only former teammate Isack Hadjar did better among the organisation\u2019s two teams, by qualifying third.<\/p>\n But keeping hold of eighth will be a challenge, given it\u2019s still not clear exactly how the new cars will start races, and long-term reliability over the course of a grand prix.<\/p>\n At the very least, Lawson did show impressive pace on the hard tyres during practice, setting his best time across the three sessions on what\u2019s supposed to be the slowest compound.<\/p>\nLiam Lawson after qualifying eighth for Formula One’s Australian Grand Prix. Photo \/ Red Bull<\/p>\n