Racing Bulls Fear 'Terminal' Damage for Lawson After Hydraulic Failure

Racing Bulls face a race against time after Liam Lawson's car suffered a hydraulic failure in practice for the Canadian Grand Prix, leaving team principal Alan Permane concerned the damage could be 'terminal' and force the driver to miss Sprint qualifying.

Why it matters:

A Sprint weekend leaves no room for error. Losing critical track time in the sole practice session puts Lawson at a severe disadvantage, and a potential DNS in Sprint qualifying would compound the team's woes in their fight for midfield positions.

The details:

• Lawson ground to a halt within minutes of FP1 due to a hydraulic leak that caused a loss of power steering.
• The car had not returned to the garage by the time Permane spoke to media, roughly 40 minutes after the session ended.
• Permane stated the issue could be 'something very simple' or 'something a bit more terminal,' leaving the team uncertain.
• Lawson is also under investigation for a clutch disengagement system (CDS) issue that could bring a penalty, as the system failed to operate correctly during the stoppage.

What's next:

The team is working urgently to assess and repair the car. With Sprint qualifying scheduled shortly after practice, every minute counts. Permane admitted they will have to 'watch this space' to determine if Lawson can take part.