28/06/2025 22:20
Liam Lawson has rejected the idea that he is 'out for revenge'
against Max Verstappen after he out-qualified his former Red Bull
team-mate for the first time in 2025. Lawson is the highest-placed
Red Bull-affiliated driver on the grid at the Red Bull Ring, after
out-qualifying Verstappen for Racing Bulls, something he did not
achieve during his two grands prix as the Dutchman's team-mate
earlier this year. Lawson suffered an average qualifying deficit of
1.431s to Verstappen in Australia and China, including the Sprint,
but for the first time this season, will start ahead of the world
champion, as he also out-qualified team-mate Isack Hadjar for the
first time since Saudi Arabia. Reflecting, Lawson was full of
praise for the hard-work from his team, and rejected the idea that
he was out for revenge against Verstappen, who he does not consider
will be in his race. "It's not revenge, I haven't really raced him
at all, but it is a good position," Lawson told media, including
RacingNews365. "We maximised today, but I don't expect to be
racing him tomorrow and some of the guys around us, but some of the
guys behind, we will try that. "It doesn't feel bad, but it is a
cool feeling, and I'm more proud of the team for a lot of hard work
recently, especially around my side to make me more comfortable
around the car and help things suit me, and I think today reflected
that. "It is such small things at the moment and the team has been
doing a good job to keep chasing it, we can't afford to miss
anything because everyone is making incremental gains. "To make a
step from FP3 and put everything together and do it consistently
through the session was a good feeling, and I am just stoked for
the team. "It has been quite a few races of strong pace and
practice potential, and then it hasn't come together in
qualifying."
