Liam Lawson expressed confusion regarding the FIA stewards’ decision not to penalise Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad following their collision at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The incident occurred during a chaotic Safety Car restart at Turn 1 of the Baku City Circuit.
Untelevised footage from the media pen captured Lindblad apologising to Lawson after the race. Lindblad was seen putting an arm around Lawson’s shoulder, stating, ‘I’m sorry.’
Lawson, who finished P12, confirmed the apology but stated he did not understand the stewards’ verdict. He reported significant damage to his car, including a hole in the floor, which compromised his race.
The New Zealander recounted being ‘smoked’ from his left side during the restart. He questioned the space Lindblad was attempting to exploit between two cars entering Turn 1.
Lindblad, who secured P7 and points for Racing Bulls, offered his perspective on the incident. He described the restart as an ‘absolute mess’ due to poor field bunching.
The British rookie explained that cars ahead, including Esteban Ocon, moved under braking. This forced him to take avoiding action, resulting in a slight front lock-up and contact with Lawson.
The FIA stewards investigated the Turn 1 contact between the Racing Bulls drivers. They ultimately ruled that no further action was necessary against Lindblad.
Their decision cited the incident as a ‘typical first-corner restart collision.’ Stewards determined no driver was wholly or predominantly to blame due to restricted space and a chain reaction.
This Racing Bulls incident unfolded amidst wider chaos at the same Turn 1 restart. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto locked his brakes, colliding with teammate Pierre Gasly and McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Colapinto was deemed wholly responsible for that multi-car collision. He received a 10-second time penalty, which was converted to a five-place grid drop for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Lando Norris publicly called for a race ban for Colapinto following the incident. However, race winner George Russell and Max Verstappen disagreed, considering a ban ‘too harsh.’
Russell stated that a small error with cold tyres during a Safety Car restart can have significant consequences. Verstappen emphasised driver accountability and apologies over suspensions.
The initial Safety Car period was deployed on Lap 31 after Alex Albon crashed into the Turn 5 wall. George Russell ultimately won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
