Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Liam Lawson admitted Racing Bulls struggled to match its Melbourne form during Sprint Qualifying at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. The New Zealander will start Saturday’s sprint race from 13th on the grid at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Lawson was eliminated in SQ2, with team-mate Arvid Lindblad also falling in the same qualifying segment. The result presented a different picture compared to the opening round in Australia, where both Racing Bulls cars managed to qualify inside the top ten for the grand prix.
Despite the early exit, Lawson explained that the team made a positive step with the car setup between the sole 60-minute practice session and sprint qualifying. However, he acknowledged that the characteristics of the Shanghai circuit do not suit the Racing Bulls package as well as Melbourne.
“I was actually quite happy. We made a good step from practice to qualifying with the setup and it was not a bad lap,” Lawson said.
“We just struggled a little bit more here than last week. Melbourne suited our car and here it’s not as good for us.”
During the opening day of running in Shanghai, multiple drivers reported tyre graining due to the cooler track temperatures. The issue is expected to remain a key factor during the sprint race, which is scheduled to run over one-third of the grand prix distance.
Lawson anticipates tyre management will play a decisive role throughout the remainder of the weekend. However, he noted that conditions may evolve as the track temperature changes and teams continue refining their setups.
“It was not good. Similar to everybody, we had a lot of graining,” Lawson explained.
“It’s going to be tough, but last year we saw a lot of graining in the sprint and less in the race, so it may change through the weekend. It’s very cold, so it’s definitely going to be a challenge.”
The sprint race in Shanghai will provide an important opportunity for Liam Lawson and Racing Bulls to optimise tyre management and race strategy. The outcome may also offer valuable insight for the team as it prepares for qualifying and the main Chinese Grand Prix later in the weekend.
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Lewis Hamilton mengungkap Ferrari kalah tenaga dari Mercedes setelah Sprint Qualifying F1 China 2026, dengan lintasan lurus Shanghai menjadi faktor utama.
Isack Hadjar mengungkap percakapannya dengan Helmut Marko setelah debut Red Bull di F1 Australia 2026, termasuk pujian atas performa kualifikasi pebalap Prancis tersebut.
Liam Lawson mengakui Racing Bulls kesulitan di F1 China 2026 setelah gagal menembus SQ3, dengan graining ban dan karakter sirkuit Shanghai menjadi tantangan utama.
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