"The car has worked exceptionally well here with the low speed corners," claims Racing Bulls

Racing Bulls left the Canadian Grand Prix with a well‑earned seventh place for Liam Lawson, while Arvid Lindblad suffered heartbreak before the race even began.

The British rookie stalled on the grid with a clutch issue during the formation lap and was unable to take the start, ending what had been a highly promising weekend for him.

Lawson, meanwhile, delivered one of his strongest Formula One drives to date, fighting through the field and defending brilliantly in the closing laps to secure valuable points.

Lindblad’s DNS meant Lawson inherited a place on the grid, and the Kiwi made the most of it. He ran a strong first stint on the Mediums before switching to Softs, where he showed impressive pace as he climbed up the order.

The final laps saw him locked in a fierce battle with Pierre Gasly, with both drivers running off track at one point and swapping positions. Lawson ultimately fought back to reclaim seventh, completing a gritty and mature performance.

Lindblad expressed his frustration after being unable to start the race. He said: “We had an issue with the clutch at the start of the Formation Lap today which meant I wasn’t able to take part in the race. I was really excited to get out there and drive in the mixed conditions, so not getting the chance is obviously disappointing.”

He emphasised how strong the weekend had been up to that point: “It’s such a shame because up until that point, the weekend had been really positive. The team worked flawlessly all weekend and the upgrades we brought were performing really well, so it’s frustrating not to come away with the result we felt we deserved today.”

Despite the setback, Lindblad remains optimistic: “There are still a lot of positives to take forward into the next race, and we have plenty of confidence heading into it. I’m already excited to get back out on track and drive a Formula One car in Monaco for the first time.”

Lawson was pleased with his recovery drive after a difficult start to the weekend. He said: “After a difficult start to the weekend, finishing in P7 is definitely a good result for us, so it’s nice to bring home points for the team.”

He acknowledged the challenges he faced: “Overall, it wasn’t an easy race. We made up some ground from where we started, but we also struggled with the balance of the car and lacked some speed throughout the race.”

Tyre management proved crucial: “The biggest challenge was to maintain the correct temperature on the tyres as we were only able to do it during the flat-out laps.”

Lawson also praised Gasly’s competitiveness: “The Alpines were faster than us today and Pierre didn’t give me an easy time at the end of the race when I was on the Soft tyres, so I'm happy to have defended my position.”

Looking ahead, he added: “I’m excited to get back to racing in Monaco in a couple of weeks as we look ahead to the European stretch of the season.”

Team Principal Alan Permane praised Lawson’s performance and reflected on the team’s progress. He said: “There are lots of positives and learnings to take from today. Liam had a stunning race despite us not being as fast as Alpine.

"He showed a masterclass of defending against a clearly faster car, so it's great to have him finish in the points following a tricky start to the weekend.”

He also explained Lindblad’s DNS: “Unfortunately, Arvid had an issue with the clutch at the start of the Formation Lap, meaning he couldn't engage first gear on the grid. It's a shame as there was a great opportunity given the pace he's shown all weekend.”

Permane highlighted the team’s championship progress: “After today's race we move to P6 in the Championship. With much of the season left to go, there are plenty of opportunities to secure points.”

And he praised the car’s performance and upgrades: “The car has worked exceptionally well here with the low speed corners and we've certainly benefited from our upgrades to the car. With Monaco being only low speed corners, there's hope and confidence for a strong race.”