Liam Lawson avoids first lap crash to score best F1 result in Austria
New Zealand driver Liam Lawson avoids a crash between Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix
Photo:
ERWIN SCHERIAU / AFP
Liam Lawson managed to avoid a first lap pile up in the Austrian Grand Prix to record his best ever result in Formula 1.
Lawson finished sixth with the race won by McLaren's Lando Norris.
After his best qualifying performance of the season of sixth, Lawson just managed to escape a crash between Mercedes Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull's four time world champion Max Verstappen on the first corner which forced both drivers out of the race.
The 23-year-old Kiwi did slip to ninth at one stage, but a one stop strategy by the Racing Bulls team helped him climb back up the field.
He spent much of the race defending his position from Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso.
File photo. Lawson is now 15th in the standings.
Photo:
PHOTOSPORT
Lawson picked up eight points adding to the four he collected in Monaco which means he is now 15th in the standings.
Despite his team-mate Isack Hadjar finishing out of the points, Racing Bulls have improved to sixth in the constructors' championship.
Norris won the race from pole position in a McLaren one-two after fending off championship-leading team mate Oscar Piastri in an early wheel-to-wheel duel and then withstanding intense pressure to the end.
The Briton's third victory of the season cut Australian Piastri's Formula One lead from 22 to 15 points after 11 of 24 rounds, with the two McLaren drivers locked in an increasingly private title battle.
Charles Leclerc completed the podium for Ferrari with team mate Lewis Hamilton fourth and George Russell, last year's winner in Austria, fifth for Mercedes.
Antonelli was given a three place grid penalty at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone next weekend for causing the accident with Verstappen.
Verstappen's first retirement of the season means he stays third overall but is now 61 points behind Piastri.
Alex Albon, Verstappen and Antonelli all failed to finish while Carlos Sainz didn't start.
McLaren top the contructors' standings with 417 points, Ferrari have 210 and Mercedes 209.
-RNZ / Reuters
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In the week when the F1 movie hit theatres, Formula 1 delivered some real-life cinematic moments of its own. Kiwi racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson achieved his best result of the season, finishing sixth, with the race won by Lando Norris of McLaren. Lawson was the pack leader for Red Bull, with Isack Hadjar crossing the line in 12th for the Racing Bulls and Red Bull number one Max Verstappen failing to finish. McLaren teammates fought for the lead and came close to colliding as Norris held off a race-long challenge from his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri to win the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday and lift his title hopes. Norris and Piastri battled for the lead early on, with the Australian briefly into the lead before Norris took the position back. A rash lunge by Piastri nearly caused a collision soon after. ADVERTISEMENT Piastri lost ground at the pit stops and was run wide onto the grass by Alpine's Franco Colapinto while cutting through traffic. He soon made up ground on Norris but couldn't get close enough to try another overtake. Over the radio, Norris called it a "beautiful one-two" finish for the team. "We had a great battle, that's for sure," he added later. "A lot of stress, but a lot of fun. A nice battle, so well done to Oscar." They next head to Norris' home race on July 6 in Britain, the halfway point of the season. McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain leads the race in front of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia. (Source: Associated Press) A two-horse race at the top More than ever this season, the title fight focuses on the two McLarens after defending champion Max Verstappen was hit by Kimi Antonelli on the opening lap, ending his race. ADVERTISEMENT Overall leader Piastri leads second-placed Norris by 15 points, with Verstappen still third but now 61 off the lead. He told broadcaster Sky Sports after the race that he hoped the incident would at least mean fewer questions about his title chances. Two weeks after Norris apologised to McLaren for colliding with Piastri in Canada, it was Piastri's turn to say sorry to the team for a near-collision between the two drivers on Sunday. The Australian also said he regretted not making more of his few seconds in the lead earlier in the race. "I hope it was good watching because it was pretty hard work from the car," Piastri said. "I tried my absolute best and probably could have done a better job when I just got ahead momentarily." Piastri added later that he was "probably pushing the limits a bit much from my side once or twice but we're fighting for race wins in Formula 1. It's going to be pretty tough". Ferrari strong with third and fourth Charles Leclerc was third for his third podium finish in four races, with his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton fourth. George Russell, who won the last race in Canada, was fifth for Mercedes and Liam Lawson sixth for Racing Bulls in his best result of the season. ADVERTISEMENT Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin held off Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto for seventh in a late-race battle between two drivers who know each other well off track. Two-time champion Alonso has guided the Brazilian's career through his management company. Bortoleto was able to celebrate his first points finish in his rookie season, leaving Colapinto and the driver he replaced at Alpine, Jack Doohan, as the only competitors without any points in 2025. The second Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg was ninth and Esteban Ocon finished 10th for Haas.
