Lawson Wary of Alpine Despite Austria Success

Liam Lawson admitted Racing Bulls achieved its qualifying target at the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix but warned that Alpine remains a major threat for Sunday's race.

After missing FP1 to Ayumu Iwasa, Lawson consistently emerged as the best driver outside the top four teams throughout the Spielberg weekend. He eventually qualified ninth, with team-mate Arvid Lindblad securing 10th to place both Racing Bulls cars in Q3.

The result established Racing Bulls as the strongest midfield team behind Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren. However, Lawson believes Alpine has repeatedly shown stronger race pace than qualifying pace in recent rounds.

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"It is honestly good to have both cars in Q3 and ahead of the midfield. It is pretty much what we set out to do, and the guys in front are definitely a little bit further ahead, so we're happy with qualifying, but I am sure it is going to be a hard race."

Reflecting on Alpine's ability to recover during races, particularly after Barcelona, Lawson admitted Racing Bulls cannot afford to underestimate its direct rival despite Saturday's qualifying advantage.

"We're definitely concerned. They've been very strong in the races, and we've obviously put some effort in from last week to try and improve. I am sure it is going to be a tough race, and we will see what we get."

With both Racing Bulls cars starting inside the top 10, the team is well placed to score valuable championship points. However, Lawson believes maintaining race pace over the full distance will be crucial to staying ahead of Alpine.