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Melbourne, Australia – Liam Lawson’s Australian Grand Prix got off to a disastrous start Sunday, with the Racing Bulls driver reporting a complete loss of power as the lights went out at Albert Park. The Kiwi driver, who qualified eighth, plummeted to 20th position in the opening moments of the race, ultimately finishing 13th despite a determined recovery drive. The incident occurred as Alpine driver Franco Colapinto narrowly avoided a collision with Lawson’s stalled car.
The frustrating start to the race overshadowed what Lawson described as a significant step forward in his preparation for the Melbourne circuit. After a hard debut at the track in 2025, where he qualified 18th and later crashed out, Lawson arrived this year with a full season of experience and extensive simulator work under his belt. He had expressed optimism heading into the weekend, but the power issue immediately derailed his race.
“Lights went out very quick, I thought I nailed the reaction and the procedure, but I don’t recognize,” Lawson said immediately after the race. “The car didn’t move, lost all power, and I couldn’t get power for about five seconds. I was just sitting there.” He characterized the situation as “pretty frustrating.”
Despite the early setback, Lawson demonstrated resilience, battling his way back up the order to secure a 13th-place finish. However, it wasn’t enough to earn any championship points. His Racing Bulls teammate, rookie Arvid Lindblad, enjoyed a stellar debut, starting fourth and finishing eighth to claim points.
Incident with Pérez Investigated
Lawson’s race wasn’t without further incident. He was investigated during the race for a collision with Sergio Pérez, now driving for Cadillac after being replaced at Red Bull by Lawson at the end of the 2024 season. The two drivers made contact during the race, adding another layer of complexity to Lawson’s challenging afternoon.
Throughout the race, Lawson also reported ongoing issues with energy management, hindering his ability to overtake. “Every time I got to the back of a car, our energy management wasn’t really working properly, and I kept actually losing power,” he explained. “Obviously, a big learning curve for all of us today with these cars, but we just fought some issues through the race.”
New Regulations Spark Driver Frustration
The Australian Grand Prix marked the first race under Formula 1’s new regulations, which feature hybrid engines with a 50-50 split between combustion and electric power. These changes require drivers to carefully manage battery levels, recharging while braking or lifting off the throttle. Lawson had previously acknowledged struggling to maintain battery life for a full lap at full throttle during practice sessions. Newstalk ZB reported Lawson’s pre-race concerns about battery endurance.
The new regulations have been met with widespread frustration from drivers. Five cars failed to finish the race, including Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac), Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin). Oscar Piastri (McLaren) crashed on the formation lap, and Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) failed to start due to a mechanical issue. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) also retired but eventually rejoined the race, finishing 15 laps behind the leader.
World champion Lando Norris was particularly critical of the new cars, stating, “We’ve come from the best cars ever made in Formula 1 and the nicest to drive to probably the worst.” When asked if he found anything positive about the new machines, Norris responded, “No, not really.” Max Verstappen, a four-time world champion, echoed these sentiments, telling Dutch media he felt “no emotion” during the weekend and finished sixth after starting in 20th.
In contrast, race winner George Russell of Mercedes found the new cars enjoyable, describing them as “super fun to drive,” “agile,” and offering a better ride quality. He acknowledged the learning curve associated with the new power units but considered it “part of the game.”
What’s Next for Lawson and Racing Bulls?
Lawson and the Racing Bulls team will now analyze the data from the Australian Grand Prix to understand the cause of the power loss at the start and address the energy management issues that plagued his race. The team will be looking to capitalize on the potential of the new regulations and improve their performance in the upcoming races. The next race on the Formula 1 calendar is the Japanese Grand Prix, scheduled for April 21st.
The challenges faced by Lawson and other drivers in Melbourne highlight the complexities of adapting to the new regulations. As teams continue to refine their understanding of the hybrid engines and energy management systems, we can expect further developments and improvements in performance throughout the season.
What are your thoughts on the new F1 regulations? Share your opinions in the comments below.
