Kiwi F1 driver Liam Lawson will start tomorrow's Italian Grand Prix from the back of the grid, after Red Bull fitted his car with a raft of new engine components, triggering a 35-place grid penalty.
Lawson qualified 14th at Monza, but knew before the session began that he would be sent to the rear of the field regardless of where he finished.
Red Bull replaced Lawson's internal combustion engine, turbocharger, exhaust, motor generator unit-kinetic and power unit ancillary component ahead of the race.
The changes would allow Lawson to have a fresh power unit for the race, with Monza's long straights and overtaking opportunities making the Italian circuit a favourable one to absorb a penalty.
"To be honest, the weekend in general has been focused on the race, because we knew we were taking the penalty," Lawson said after qualifying.
"It's not ideal, we didn't put that much focus on pure, one-lap speed. I spent the whole of quali in clean air until that last lap.
"I hadn't even driven behind a car, it wasn't ideal.
Despite knowing he would start from the back, Lawson progressed through Q1 with a best lap of 1m 22.898s, putting him 13th fastest.
His qualifying session then took on a different role, helping teammate Max Verstappen by providing him with a slipstream.
Ahead of his final flying lap in Q2, Lawson voiced his frustration at having completed qualifying without receiving the same assistance.
"I've done the entire quali on my own," he complained to race engineer Richard Wood.
Verstappen was then instructed to tow Lawson as the Kiwi made a final attempt to break into the top 10, but the lap was hampered almost immediately.
As the Red Bull pair approached the first chicane, McLaren's Oscar Piastri was exiting the pit lane. Piastri allowed Verstappen through before entering the chicane himself, where he impeded the following Lawson.
"Bro, what the f..." Lawson said over team radio after getting past the Australian.
The Kiwi was unable to recover enough time and completed the lap still outside the top 10, ending his qualifying session in 14th.
Piastri was penalised following the incident with Lawson and dropped from third to sixth.
At the front of the field, Pierre Gasly claimed a shock maiden pole position for Alpine with a 1m 21.786s lap, edging Mercedes George Russell by just 0.060s. Charles Leclerc for Ferrari would start from third, after Piastri's penalty.
Verstappen qualified sixth, while Lawson's Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad would start 10th.
The Italian Grand Prix will take place tomorrow morning (1am NZT).
SHARE ME