Formula 1: Liam Lawson narrowly misses top 10 in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying

Liam Lawson will need something to go his way if he’s to return to the points in Formula One’s Hungarian Grand Prix, after missing out on a top 10 start.

On a notoriously difficult circuit to overtake on, Lawson will start 11th at the Hungaroring, after finishing just 0.126s adrift of reaching the third and final qualifying session (Q3).

“Oh man, that was such a bad lap,” the Kiwi was heard telling his race engineer, Alexandre Iliopulous. “It’s so hard to drive.”

The Kiwi had shown pace all weekend, and finished inside the top 10 in all three practice sessions, but couldn’t quite put the perfect lap together in qualifying, after struggling for grip in the track’s first sector.

Despite the Hungaroring being facetiously known as “Monaco without walls”, Lawson has shown he can make up places on the narrow circuit – after starting ninth and finishing eighth at the same race last year – and will hope to benefit from the upgraded Racing Bulls package he received after last week’s Belgian Grand Prix.

“I’m disappointed with my execution in Q2,” Lawson said post-qualifying. “I locked up in the first lap, and didn’t have a strong second lap.

“It’s a shame, the car has been very good. Our long runs have been quick, so we should have a fast car for the race.

“Points are definitely within reach, so it’s all to play for.”

Teammate Arvid Lindblad will carry Racing Bulls’ hopes, after qualifying ninth, and will start higher than Lawson for the third race in succession, after also changing his power unit earlier in the day.

At the front of the field, reigning world champion Lando Norris became the first non-Mercedes driver to take pole position this season, with his best lap of 1m 17.207s seeing him pip Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton by just 0.012s.

However, no driver has won the Hungarian Grand Prix from pole since Hamilton in 2020.

With a win and second place in his last two races, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc starts third, while world championship leader Kimi Antonelli is fourth. Antonelli’s chance to take pole was spoiled on his final qualifying lap, when Red Bull’s Max Verstappen spun at turn 14 to trigger a yellow flag.

The Hungarian Grand Prix begins at 1am on Monday morning (NZT).

Leaving the garage with just over 10 minutes left in Q1, Lawson was the final driver to post a lap in the first session. Once he did cross the line, though, his first mark of 1m 19.174s was enough for seventh place, with more than 1.5s between himself and elimination.

In fact, Lawson’s opening effort was so good, Racing Bulls didn’t use a new set of tyres for his second run. For good measure, he improved slightly to post a lap of 1m 19.161s, and advanced as the 11th fastest driver in Q1, with 1.072s up his sleeve from an early exit.

Into Q2, Lawson didn’t wait as long to return to the track, but saw his opening effort when he went too deep into turn one, and posted a time of 1m 19.413s. That saw the Kiwi ninth, and 0.839s clear of the drop, but more than half a second behind his teammate, as he prepared for his final run.

And while Lawson was able to post his best time of the weekend so far, 1m 18.765s, it wasn’t enough, as the Kiwi finished just over a tenth of a second shy of the top 10, and 0.405s adrift of Lindblad, to be the final driver knocked out in Q2.

Hungarian Grand Prix starting grid

Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.