Liam Lawson reveals bizarre problem that left him completely alone in F1 chaos
Lawson was left in the dark at a crucial moment (Photo: Race Pictures)
Connor Andrews is Formula 1 and MotoGP writer for GPblog and various outlets. Having worked in motorsport for 15 years for leading companies, he has interviewed the sports biggest names and attended multiple Grands Prix.
Liam Lawson has revealed that he had no team radio during the formation-lap chaos at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. He got it back only by reading a switch change on his pit board as cars stopped around him.
The race at Sepang started late because of the weather. Once it did get going, several cars stopped on the track as they appeared to lose power behind the safety car.
The FIA has since clarified that a software bug, brought about by a range of factors including the low speed at which they were travelling, caused the cars to come to a halt. Lawson's car was not hit by that problem, but his own issue started before the field had even left the grid.
Lawson knew before the formation lap that his radio was dead
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This season's cars require plenty of procedures before the start, and Lawson had to work through them with no engineer in his ear.
I had no radio, I knew I had no radio before I even pulled away for the formation lap. So I was very stressed because there are a lot of procedures, especially in this year's car, that you have to do.- Liam Lawson
His team got the fix to him the old-fashioned way. Lawson only got his radio working again after following instructions that were shown to him on his pit board as he drove down the start-finish straight.
I had to look at my pit board on the way by to read a certain switch change I had to do and then it brought the radio back. So, very stressful. That was probably the most alone I've ever felt.- Liam Lawson
Lawson did not know if he could overtake stopped cars
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With no word from the pit wall, Lawson had no idea what he was allowed to do as the cars ahead slowed and stopped. He said: "I didn't know if I was allowed to overtake or what. Just a lot of confusion."
Once the race was underway, things improved quickly. Racing Bulls started him on intermediates, and the Kiwi started 11th on the grid but surged to fourth on the opening lap; Verstappen only narrowly held off Liam Lawson for third, with the Racing Bulls man enjoying a blistering getaway too.
"I had one of the best starts I've ever had in my career," Lawson said after the race
The early charge did not last. Lawson later dropped back as the track dried and the faster cars worked their way through the field. He finished seventh, after an unsuccessful duel with Piastri for sixth.
Seventh place and a boost for Racing Bulls
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"I'm happy with seventh," Lawson said. "I was thinking we deserved more, and then we got lucky at the end with a couple of guys not finishing."
His teammate Arvid Lindblad came through from the back of the grid to take tenth. That double score left Racing Bulls 22 points clear in fifth in the constructors' standings ahead of Alpine.
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