Liam Lawson Faces Penalty After Chaotic Sao Paulo Sprint Race

Liam Lawson, competing in the Sao Paulo sprint race, faced challenges after finishing 13th in a chaotic event marked by multiple incidents. Starting from 17th on the grid, the Kiwi driver managed to complete the 24-lap race without significant damage ahead of the main qualifying session later that day.

The sprint race at the Interlagos Circuit turned tumultuous, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and other drivers, including Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto, crashing into barriers. Lawson’s race was not without its own drama, particularly during lap one when he collided with Oliver Bearman of Haas at turn four.

Lawson appeared to have been given sufficient space on the inside, but Bearman turned in, resulting in Lawson clipping the Haas, which spun off the track. Both drivers were able to continue racing but were later summoned by the stewards to discuss the incident. Following their assessment, both were issued a five-second time penalty and one penalty point against their licenses.

In the stewards’ ruling for Bearman, they noted that “the driver of Car 87 [Bearman] moved to the left, leaving insufficient room and forcing Car 30 [Lawson] to place two wheels on the wet grass.” The ruling emphasized the high-speed nature of the incident, which created unnecessary risks. For Lawson, the stewards stated that video evidence did not clearly show whether his front axle was sufficiently alongside Bearman’s car before the apex, a requirement for entitlement to racing room under the Driving Standards Guidelines.

As rain fell overnight in Sao Paulo, drivers faced a wet but drying track, impacting tire strategies. Most opted for medium tires, with Lando Norris of McLaren seizing the early lead from pole position. The race took a dramatic turn on lap six when Piastri hit a waterlogged kerb at turn four, causing him to spin into the barriers. Shortly after, Hulkenberg and Colapinto encountered similar fates, leading to red flags and a subsequent race suspension for track clearance.

Once racing resumed, Lawson found himself in 13th place. Although he lost positions to Bearman and teammate Esteban Ocon on lap 17, a final-lap incident involving Gabriel Bortoleto led to Lawson reclaiming his 13th place finish. Bortoleto crashed into the barriers, impacting Alex Albon of Williams as well, and is unlikely to participate in the qualifying session due to car damage.

The results of the Sao Paulo sprint race concluded with Norris taking the victory. The final standings featured the following drivers:

1. Lando Norris – McLaren
2. Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes
3. George Russell – Mercedes
4. Max Verstappen – Red Bull
5. Charles Leclerc – Ferrari
6. Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin
7. Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari
8. Pierre Gasly – Alpine
9. Lance Stroll – Aston Martin
10. Isack Hadjar – Racing Bulls
11. Esteban Ocon – Haas
12. Oliver Bearman – Haas
13. Liam Lawson – Racing Bulls
14. Yuki Tsunoda – Red Bull
15. Carlos Sainz – Williams
16. Nico Hulkenberg – Kick Sauber
17. Alex Albon – Williams

Drivers who did not finish included Piastri, Colapinto, and Bortoleto. As the teams prepare for qualifying, the sprint race has set the stage for an intense grand prix weekend ahead.