Returning to the cockpit of a Red Bull, Kiwi F1 driver Liam Lawson qualified 11th for the sprint race at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, Mercedes Driver George Russell got back to the front of the Formula 1 field on Friday and joked it's because he's no longer carrying an engagement ring.
Lawson put in a strong showing at the start of sprint qualifying, outpacing temporary teammate Max Verstappen in SQ1. His day ended in SQ2, unable to make the top 10.
Lawson said it had been an "interesting day", only finding out he'd be driving a Red Bull earlier this week – and given just a single practice session to adapt to an entirely new car.
“Normally, you sort of improve through Quali, and we started SQ1 quite strong, then we didn’t make the same step that everybody else did. We’ll look into it," he said.
“There’s a lot, obviously, to learn today. So far, honestly, I feel quite good in the car. I was honestly feeling okay through Quali, I thought we’d get through, so it’s a shame.”
“We’ll obviously try and fix it and put it together for Quali, but we definitely had the potential to be right up there today, so it’s frustrating.”
Lawson is serving as cover for an injured Isack Hadjar.
Lawson's promotion means Yuki Tsunoda is back on the grid with Racing Bulls. He hasn't raced under the new-for-2026 regulations at all. Tsunoda qualified 12th.
Russell takes pole
Russell took the fight to his series-leading Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli as he qualified on pole position for the sprint race at the Dutch Grand Prix. F1 has returned from its midseason break, two weeks after Russell announced he and his partner Carmen Montero Mundt were engaged.
After setting the fastest time Friday, Russell said over the team radio, “Nice one! Must be a bit lighter after that engagement ring.”
Russell previously revealed that “a lot of thought” went into his proposal, including designing the ring itself. “I suddenly got really nervous when I was on one knee,” he added.
Russell snatched top spot by 0.041 of a second from McLaren's Lando Norris, winner of the last race in Hungary, with Charles Leclerc third for Ferrari, 0.014 further back.
Antonelli was fifth and revealed he'd been struggling with damage from a bumpy ride across a gravel trap in the first part of the session. The damage was “a couple of holes in the floor.” His closest championship challenger, Lewis Hamilton, could manage only seventh for Ferrari.
- Additional reporting by AP
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