Kiwi F1 driver Liam Lawson is hoping for another points finish when he lines up on the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.
The 23-year-old scored his first points of the season at the Monaco Grand Prix on Monday, crossing the line in eighth after both Racing Bulls executed a perfect team strategy – delivering double points and moving the team closer to Haas in the constructors’ standings.
Lawson received high praise from his team after he spent much of the race holding up the pack to allow teammate Isack Hadjar to stay in sixth place.
Lawson said finishing in the points for a second weekend in a row was his goal in Barcelona.
"We’re bouncing off a great weekend in Monaco for the team, so we're ready to set our sights on scoring points again in Barcelona," he said.
He said it was a "nice feeling" to finally have points on the board after a difficult start to the season.
"It was a very, very good weekend for the team from my side personally. It wasn't perfect, but obviously we have another weekend to try and keep improving," he said.
A new FIA technical directive would be introduced in Spain, aimed at reducing front wing flexibility from 15mm to 10mm. A more flexible front wing can reduce a car’s drag while travelling down straights, before increasing downforce when braking into a corner, giving better grip.
Lawson said the "biggest thing” for all teams this race weekend would be adjusting to the new regulations.
“It’s going to affect everyone in a different way, so for me it’s just trying to do our job and make our car as good as possible.
He said it was “hard to know” how the car would perform this weekend. The track, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, is known for its mix of low and high-speed corners. It’s a familiar track for many drivers, having previously hosted pre-season testing.
“We’re just going to try and put our car in the best possible position,” Lawson said.
Lawson said it "feels good" to be rounding out the triple header in Spain.
"It’s a track we’ve tested a lot over the years, so feels very familiar to all the teams and drivers.
"Normally it’s quite a close race, but with some changes in the regulations to adapt to, we’re set for an interesting weekend."
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