Liam Lawson’s Sprint Qualifying was a “messy” affair, with a series of mistakes and struggles with balance leaving the rookie just about scraping through to start the Miami Grand Prix Sprint from 14th on the grid. Disregarding any gentleman’s agreement, Lawson didn’t feel like waiting around as he pushed his way into the fast lane, upsetting his midfield competitors as he started SQ1.
Once he was out on track, the Kiwi quickly got to work, setting an initial time of 1:28.914s which would eventually be his fastest of the opening stage as his next tour of the Miami International Autodrome involved a costly slide through the tricky Turn 14-15 sequence. Checking in on the timesheets after crossing the line, Lawson sat as the driver at risk in P15 but was let off the hook when four drivers missed the cut-off to start a second lap and as Lance Stroll failed to improve from the elimination zone.
Having only just scraped through to SQ2, Racing Bulls’ strategy only permitted the Kiwi to complete one flying lap as Lawson was withheld in the garage until the final two minutes of the session. That call backfired for the Kiwi who failed to put a clean lap together, almost ending his run in the wall at Turn 17 before crossing the line with a time of 1:28:375s and declaring the lap “so bad.”
The Kiwi found himself 1.2 seconds off the fastest SQ2 pace and sitting with the slowest time overall; however, he wasn’t at the bottom of the table thanks to Carlos Sainz who didn’t manage to record a time after a huge lock-up at Turn 11 forced him to abort the lap.
“It was quite a messy session, very different to FP1,” Lawson said. “It’s a shame because the car wasn’t in a bad place this morning, but we fought with the balance a lot more in Sprint Qualifying. We obviously have some things to analyse as a team, so we hope that will put ourselves in a good place ahead of the Sprint race tomorrow.”
The Kiwi will take the start from 14th on the grid, sharing Row 7 with Pierre Gasly when the 19-lap dash kicks off. As for his Racing Bulls teammate, Isack Hadjar put in yet another stellar performance to advance to the top ten shootout. Lawson’s rookie teammate will start his Miami Grand Prix Sprint from ninth on the grid after securing his fastest time of 1:27.543s, just over one second behind the pole-sitter.
Lights out for the second Sprint of the season will be an early one for Australian viewers, taking place at 02:00 AEST on Sunday morning before the grid resets for Grand Prix Qualifying at 06:00 AEST.
Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso suffered a heavy crash in the closing stages of the Miami Sprint, held at the Miami International Autodrome. The Sprint had been delayed following a heavy rain shower ahead of the race, which saw Charles Leclerc crash on his recon lap. Despite challenging conditions, Alonso was the first driver to crash when the Sprint had started; however, it was not his fault. After switching to slick tyres, Alonso was battling with Lawson who hit the inside of the Aston Martin driver. It sent the two-time world champion into the wall, destroying his AMR25. Alonso had been set for his first point finish of the season, only to lose it following the accident.
On May 3, 2025, Alonso and Lawson made contact during the final stage of the Sprint, resulting in Alonso's Aston Martin crashing into the barrier. Lawson finished in P7, scoring his first points of the season, but any penalty from the incident would lead to him missing out. Additionally, Alexander Albon has been summoned to the stewards for a potential Safety Car infringement, as he may have exceeded the minimum time required.
“No,” Albon said when asked if he knew why he was being investigated. The chaos of the Sprint was palpable, with incidents unfolding from the start. Charles Leclerc’s crash due to aquaplaning set the stage for a tumultuous race, leading to a delayed start. Max Verstappen and pole-sitter Andrea Kimi Antonelli collided in the pit lane, with Verstappen receiving a ten-second penalty for an unsafe release.
Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz clipped the wall at the chicane, causing a puncture and ultimately ending his race. Alonso’s crash on Lap 15 out of 19 was a significant blow, as he had been poised to score his first points of the season before the unfortunate incident with Lawson.
“We are not as competitive as we want to be, we thought we'd be, but I think there is not only one theme,” Alonso explained. “There are a couple of factors that make the car a little bit difficult at the moment, in terms of pace, and maybe not as fast as some of the midfield teams that have raised the level and are closer to the top four, and we didn't make that step. We need to react, we need to do things better and hopefully in the next few races we have a step forward, but yeah, it has been more difficult than expected.”
As the Miami Grand Prix weekend continues, all eyes will be on the stewards’ decisions regarding the incidents, particularly the collision between Lawson and Alonso that marred what could have been a promising race for both drivers. The atmosphere in the paddock is charged with anticipation as teams analyze data and prepare for the upcoming challenges on the track.
With Lawson’s rookie season unfolding, the pressure is on to deliver consistent performances amid the ups and downs of Formula 1. The Miami Sprint has added another layer of complexity to his campaign, but the young driver remains determined to improve and learn from each experience on the grid.
As the dust settles from the chaotic Sprint, fans are eager to see how the drivers will adapt for the main event, with Lawson and Hadjar both looking to capitalize on their positions and make a mark in the ongoing championship battle.
