Liam Lawson Frustrated by 'Aston Martin Sandwich' at US GP

Liam Lawson expressed significant frustration after the United States Grand Prix, believing an 'Aston Martin sandwich' prevented him from scoring points. Lawson found himself caught between Fernando Alonso ahead and Lance Stroll rapidly closing in, ultimately finishing 11th and just outside the points.

Why it matters:

This incident highlights the strategic team play often seen in Formula 1, where teams can use their cars to manipulate track position and deny rivals points. For Lawson, who is fighting to establish himself in F1, every point-scoring opportunity is crucial, making this missed chance particularly galling.

The Details:

• Lawson started the Austin race in 12th position, just behind Fernando Alonso.
• Following a collision between Carlos Sainz and Kimi Antonelli, Lawson moved up the order but remained outside the points as Yuki Tsunoda also made gains.
• In the closing stages, Lawson was running 11th, closely tailing Alonso.
• Lance Stroll, in the sister Aston Martin, was rapidly catching Lawson from behind.
• Lawson finished 1.569s ahead of Stroll and 3.208s behind Alonso.
• This marks the fourth time in five races that Lawson has failed to score points, despite showing competitive pace.

Between the lines:

Lawson explicitly stated his belief that Alonso was deliberately backing him up into Stroll, creating an 'Aston Martin sandwich.' This tactical maneuver is a well-known strategy in F1, where a leading car can slow down just enough to bring a teammate into play, either to defend against a rival or to allow the teammate to attack.

• "Aston had us in control today, having Fernando in front and Lance behind," Lawson commented, suggesting a clear strategic play from the Aston Martin team.
• Despite having a "fast car" throughout the weekend, Lawson felt his race pace wasn't fully utilized as he spent the entire race on Alonso's gearbox.
• He noted, "There was also more [pace] from Fernando. He was just pushing me back towards Lance," indicating Alonso wasn't driving at his maximum potential, but rather managing the situation to benefit his team.

What's next:

For Liam Lawson, the focus will now shift to converting strong qualifying pace into race points. While he demonstrated his ability to run with experienced drivers, the tactical challenges posed by rival teams are a part of the learning curve in Formula 1. His ability to manage these situations and break free from such strategic traps will be key to his future success.