Liam Lawson has identified being on the circuit at the right time as a critical factor for the "tricky" Dutch Grand Prix, following a chaotic opening day at Zandvoort.
Why it matters:
The initial practice sessions at Zandvoort were severely disrupted, limiting crucial data gathering for all teams. With unpredictable weather always a threat, strategic timing on track could prove more vital than outright car pace.
The details:
- Disrupted Practice: Friday saw three red flags during the first and second practice sessions, significantly curtailing long-run data collection. Remarkably, these disruptions were not weather-related.
- Lawson's Performance: Liam Lawson concluded Friday's track action in 14th place, expressing comfort with the car despite some late struggles on soft tires. He believes the car is in a good place.
- Weather Uncertainty: While the initial chaos wasn't due to rain, the weather forecast for qualifying and the race remains highly uncertain, adding another layer of complexity.
Lawson's take:
Lawson emphasized the challenge of Zandvoort and the critical role of timing. "It's a hard track, and that probably showed today," Lawson stated. "We just tried to make the most of track time today, and then, obviously we'll see what the weather does. But in this place, it's always up in the air."
What's next:
Lawson highlighted the strategic challenge ahead, especially for qualifying. "If qualifying is like this, then it makes it really tricky. You're trying to be on track at the right time, trying to avoid yellow flags, red flags," he explained. "That can be the hardest part, to be honest, more than just having a quick car. So we'll keep chipping away at the car overnight, and then try and make the most of tomorrow and see where we end up."
Racing Bulls focused on maximizing track time to gather as much data as possible, preparing for the unpredictable conditions.