Liam Lawson endured a grueling race at the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, finishing 16th and struggling with tire graining and traffic throughout the 55-lap event. The VCARB driver started from 15th on the grid and faced challenges that made scoring points a distant goal.
Reflecting on his performance, Lawson admitted the race was far from what he had hoped. “Yeah, that sucked,” Lawson candidly told reporters, including Sportskeeda. “It was very, very tough. We started okay, but the second stint, with traffic and graining, really made it tricky. At one point, we realized we weren’t fighting for points and tried to adapt with a one-stop strategy, but it didn’t work out. We ended up losing more time and had to pit again.”
In addition to tire management issues, Lawson identified braking and grip problems as key factors that held him back during both qualifying and the race. The 22-year-old driver noted that his car’s handling struggles prevented him from fully attacking the circuit’s limits.
“Mainly just braking and overall grip,” Lawson explained. “There was a lot of rear locking, which made it hard to really push. The track’s already slippery, but we seemed to struggle more than most. It’s something we’ll have to look into before the next race.”
When asked about a mid-race incident involving contact with Kevin Magnussen, Lawson acknowledged the possibility of damage but felt it was too early in the race to determine its impact. “We’ll analyze the car, but honestly, the issues we had were consistent throughout the weekend. Qualifying was tough, and the same problems carried over into the race.”
While Lawson battled at the back of the pack, his teammate Yuki Tsunoda delivered a solid performance, finishing in the points and outperforming Lawson throughout the weekend. Tsunoda’s experience seemed to give him an edge, as the Japanese driver navigated the tricky Las Vegas circuit with more confidence.
This marked another tough outing for Lawson, who has struggled to consistently match Tsunoda since returning to the team. In the four race weekends he’s contested this season, Lawson has been out-qualified by Tsunoda every time and has only finished ahead of him twice—both occasions due to Tsunoda’s retirements.
Despite Lawson’s challenges, the fight for sixth place in the constructors’ standings remains intense. Red Bull’s junior team sits eighth with 46 points, trailing Alpine by three and Haas by four. With only two races left in the season, the midfield battle is expected to go down to the wire.
Lawson remains optimistic about bouncing back in the final rounds. “We’ve had some tough weekends, but the focus now is on resolving these issues and finishing the season strong,” he said.
As the season heads toward its conclusion, the spotlight remains on Lawson to prove his potential and contribute crucial points in the team’s battle for a higher championship standing.
