Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Liam Lawson admitted he was surprised by the pace shown by Visa Cash App RB after both team cars reached Q3 during qualifying for the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2026 at Albert Park, Melbourne.
Lawson will start the race from eighth on the grid, with rookie team-mate Arvid Lindblad lining up ninth. The result places the Red Bull sister team in a strong position to challenge for points in the opening round of the 2026 Formula 1 season, a scenario Lawson admitted was not expected following pre-season testing in Bahrain.
During the February test, Racing Bulls did not appear to have the outright pace to match several midfield rivals. However, a series of upgrades introduced for the Melbourne weekend significantly improved the car’s performance and balance, allowing both drivers to progress into the top-10 shootout on merit.
“This was definitely what we were shooting for, but we probably weren’t expecting this, especially after Bahrain,” Lawson told media including RacingNews365.
“It definitely wasn’t a track that suited us. A lot of teams brought upgrades there, and we obviously brought some this weekend. On paper, they looked great, but until you put them on the car, you don’t know.”
Racing Bulls introduced several technical updates to the car, including a revised floor, engine cover, cooling louvres, and rear-corner components. The floor and bodywork modifications were designed to generate additional downforce and improve aerodynamic efficiency around the Albert Park circuit.
Lawson also highlighted the strong early performance of the power unit developed by Red Bull Powertrains in collaboration with Ford, which has so far delivered solid reliability throughout pre-season running.
“Honestly, the efforts from Ford and Powertrains have been very, very strong so far,” Lawson said.
“We have an engine that’s working very well, but obviously we’ll only find out tomorrow how reliable all the cars are during the race.”
Looking ahead to the Grand Prix, Lawson remained cautious about expectations despite the strong grid position. According to the New Zealander, reliability and long-run consistency will be crucial factors in determining whether Racing Bulls can convert its qualifying result into points.
“The goal is to try and stay where we are, but it’s very hard to know exactly where we sit compared to everybody else,” Lawson explained.
“We’ve had good long-run pace, but the biggest thing is going to be having a reliable car.”
If Racing Bulls can maintain its pace and avoid reliability issues during the race in Melbourne, the team could secure an important points finish to start the 2026 Formula 1 campaign before the championship moves on to the next round.
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Baca Juga
Mario Isola menjelaskan strategi ban F1 Australia 2026 di Albert Park dengan kemungkinan Safety Car yang dapat memicu strategi dua pit stop.
Fans di F1 Australia 2026 menyoroti hilangnya karakter suara mesin akibat regulasi power unit modern, seperti dijelaskan Azrul Ananda dari Albert Park.
Oscar Piastri menyoroti masalah manajemen energi setelah kualifikasi F1 Australia 2026, menyebut F1 kini terbagi dua kategori trek terkait kebutuhan energi.
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