30 LAWSON Liam (nzl), Visa Cash App RB F1 Team VCARB02, action during the Formula 1 Lenovo Japanese Grand Prix 2025. Photo: Photosport
Japanese Grand Prix
Starts: 5pm Sunday, 6 April
Suzuka International Circuit
Live updates on RNZ Sport
It was a rough day for Liam Lawson at qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, he and rival Yuki Tsunoda finishing 14th and 15th respectively for tomorrow's race.
Both Lawson and Tsunoda were knocked out after Q2, with world champion Max Verstappen taking pole with a stunning final lap, just +0.012s ahead of Lando Norris.
Lawson managed to make it out of Q1 for the first time this season, but only just, finishing 15th fastest.
Another grass fire broke out early into Q2 however, just in time for every driver to complete a first lap, with Lawson the slowest, and Tsunoda only just ahead in 14th.
While Lawson would end with a faster lap than his successor, neither were able to recover, eliminated along with Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso making up the bottom five.
Earlier, Lawson recorded the 12th fastest time in the third practice round, with Tsunoda in ninth.
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