Racing Bulls Find Performance Edge for Lawson in Hungary

Liam Lawson and Racing Bulls have found a promising rhythm in Budapest. A tactical setup change during Free Practice 2 propelled Lawson to seventh on the timing sheets, signaling a strong start to the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend.

Why it matters:

For Racing Bulls, consistency on high-downforce, twisty circuits like the Hungaroring is a critical litmus test for chassis balance. Finding a setup that stabilizes the rear end without sacrificing entry speed is the difference between a midfield finish and a surprise Q3 appearance. Lawson's ability to pinpoint a necessary change mid-session suggests a high level of synergy between the driver and the engineering team.

The Details:

• Performance Benchmarks: Lawson finished FP2 in 7th, trailing Isack Hadjar's Red Bull by just two-tenths of a second and outperforming Oscar Piastri, who struggled with a messy lap.
• Team Synergy: Teammate Arvid Lindblad mirrored Lawson's form, placing the sister car in the top 10 across both opening practice sessions.
• Technical Focus: Alan Permane noted that the team focused heavily on medium-speed stability and optimizing traction in the final sector to handle the track's unique layout.
• The Breakthrough: The key boost came from a specific adjustment Lawson made for his final soft-tyre run, which significantly improved the car's rear-end behavior and overall stability.

What's next:

With a solid baseline established on Friday, the focus now shifts to refining the balance during FP3. Lawson has expressed confidence in the car's raw speed, but the primary objective remains clinical execution during Saturday's qualifying to secure a spot in the final shootout.