Liam Lawson hopeful of repeating rewards from prior experience at the Losail International circuit
Liam Lawson feels confident heading into the 2024 Qatar GP, thanks to his previous experience driving at the Losail circuit. Speaking to media including Sportskeeda, the VCARB driver acknowledged that the wind and weather conditions could have an impact on the weekend’s outcome, particularly as they could differ from the hot and humid conditions he encountered when filling in for an injured Daniel Ricciardo last season.
While Lawson was unable to finish in the points last year, the experience of driving around the circuit gave him valuable insight. He noted that the cooler weather and potential wind factors this year could play a role in the team’s performance. Nevertheless, Lawson is optimistic about the weekend, as Qatar marks the first race in the last five where he is familiar with the track, which adds to his confidence going into the final stretch of the season.
Asked by Sportskeeda if having driven before at the Losail circuit gave him confidence going into the race weekend, Liam Lawson said:
“Yeah I think it's nice knowing that I've driven the track before. It's always nice knowing going to a track that I've done. So I think yes it's better, but also I know where we start the weekend, the track's going to be quite far away, it's going to build up a lot. It did last year, also with this condition, with the winds, it might be quite sandy. So I think it's nice doing a track that I've done before.”
Liam Lawson reckons there is no excess pressure of a championship fight going into the weekend
Liam Lawson acknowledged the tight championship battle between VCARB, Alpine, and Haas for sixth place, but he doesn’t feel that the pressure of the standings will impact his approach for the Qatar GP. He emphasized that his primary focus remains on his performance in the final two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. While he is fully aware of the importance of securing sixth place for both the championship and financial benefits in 2025, Lawson remains concentrated on delivering his best performance on track rather than feeling overwhelmed by the tight battle.
Asked if the championship battle for the team mounted more pressure to the weekend in Qatar, Lawson replied:
“Honestly, no, not on that side of things. I think we deal with enough pressure of personal performance, the expectation that's on us. I don't think that the constructors is adding pressure to us. But I do know the importance of it for the team.”
Asked if there was pressure to nail everything correctly this weekend, he said:
“Potentially yes. I don't know honestly, I think I don't really see there's not much added pressure with that.”
Both VCARB drivers, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, are under significant pressure to maximize their performance at the Qatar GP as the team battles to reclaim sixth place in the constructors’ championship. Currently in eighth, VCARB has been overtaken by Haas and Alpine in recent races. Sixth place is crucial for securing a stronger position in the standings and the monetary gains associated with prize money.
These funds are vital for the team’s car development and overall budget for the 2025 season, making the upcoming races particularly important for its future.