liam lawson delivered a top-10 qualifying result for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, clocking the eighth-fastest time and reaching Q3. The session unfolded on Saturday, with the grid set at Albert Park as Formula One’s new regulation era begins and the first real pecking order of 2026 emerged. The immediate focus now turns to whether Racing Bulls can convert Saturday’s pace into points on Sunday, with reliability flagged as the key variable.
Qualifying: Eighth on the grid, double Q3 for Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson’s best lap in qualifying was 1m 19. 994s, securing eighth on the starting grid and placing both Racing Bulls cars inside the final shootout. Arvid Lindblad, described as making an impressive beginning to his Formula One career, will start ninth, 1. 253s slower than Lawson’s best effort.
Lawson’s path through qualifying included a late improvement in Q1 to 1m 20. 599s to move back inside the top 10 and safely clear of elimination. In Q2, his first push lap of 1m 20. 144s left him eighth and ultimately enough to advance, with just 0. 159s in hand by the end of the segment. A brief delay hit Q3 after debris from Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes was left on track, triggering another red flag, before the remaining drivers returned to set the top-nine grid positions.
Immediate reactions: Lawson points to upgrades, but stresses reliability
Speaking after qualifying, liam lawson said he was “stunned” by Racing Bulls’ performance level in Melbourne and emphasized that the race will be shaped by whether the car holds together over distance.
Lawson said the team arrived with upgrades and highlighted that “two cars in Q3 is very, very good, ” while adding that he did not expect this outcome after pre-season running in Bahrain. He described the update package as including a new floor, engine cover, cooling louvres and rear corner, with the floor and engine cover cited as delivering more downforce and improved aerodynamics.
On the power unit, Lawson praised the work behind the program, saying: “Honestly, the efforts from Ford and Powertrains have been very, very strong so far. ” He added that Sunday would provide the clearest answer on durability: “We find out tomorrow how reliable all the cars are. ”
Looking ahead to the race, Lawson framed expectations cautiously, saying the aim is “to try and stay where we are, ” while stressing it is “very hard to know exactly where we sit compared to everybody else. ” His bottom line for Sunday: “I think the biggest thing is going to be having a reliable car. ”
Race-day outlook: First clear 2026 order, but the gaps raise questions
Qualifying offered the first real indication of how the 2026 field stacks up under the new regulations governing car build and on-track performance. Mercedes locked out the front row, with George Russell on pole in 1m 18. 518s and teammate Kimi Antonelli second, 0. 293s back after mechanics repaired his car within two hours following a crash in final practice.
Several major storylines shaped the session. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen will start 20th of 22 after leaving the track and crashing at turn one in Q1, preventing a competitive lap. Lando Norris starts sixth, Oscar Piastri fifth in his home race, while Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton line up fourth and seventh.
There were also early signs that the new rules may be producing slower headline lap times, with Russell’s pole notably slower than the 1m 15. 096s set in Melbourne a year earlier.
What’s next: Sunday points depend on keeping the pace alive
The grid is set, and Racing Bulls have banked the kind of qualifying they were aiming for, putting both cars into Q3 and positioning them near the front of the midfield fight. The next development comes on Sunday in Melbourne, where the key question is whether pace on hard tyres and a strong one-lap showing can translate into a full race without setbacks. For liam lawson, the mission is clear: protect track position, then let reliability determine whether this qualifying breakthrough becomes a points-paying start to the season.
