Liam Lawson Shrugs Off Yuki Tsunoda’s F1 US GP Qualifying Criticism

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Highlights

Liam Lawson dismissed Yuki Tsunoda’s criticism after US GP qualifying.
Lawson qualified 12th; Tsunoda placed 13th, missing Q3.
Tsunoda accused Lawson of slowing to disrupt his lap in Q2.
Lawson blamed a gust of wind for hampering car performance.
Max Verstappen secured pole position ahead of Lando Norris.
Both drivers aim to improve positions during Sunday’s United States GP.

Liam Lawson dismisses Yuki Tsunoda’s criticism after United States GP qualifying at COTA, where both miss Q3. Lawson starts 12th, Tsunoda 13th, after a tightly packed Q2.

Tsunoda alleges Lawson slows in sector two, particularly through Turn 11, disrupting his push lap. Lawson says he is unaware of causing issues and rejects any deliberate interference.

Lawson identifies a gust at Turn 1 as his main frustration, unsettling the car under braking. He maintains the package has Q3 potential that the session fails to show.

Liam Lawson during US GP qualifying at COTA — Image Credit: Motorsport

Tsunoda repeats post-session that Lawson’s mid-corner speed is unusually low. He stops short of alleging intent, and says he will raise the matter directly with the Kiwi.

The midfield picture is compressed, with minimal deltas through sector two. At COTA, track position and tyre management typically decide progress as DRS trains form quickly.

The pair share Red Bull roots, intensifying intra-camp stakes. Each seeks to convert recent momentum into status, with small execution gains likely to swing outcomes.

“We had a very strong car overall,” Lawson says, attributing lost time to a Turn 1 gust.

Sprint form supports that view. Tsunoda finishes seventh and Lawson ninth earlier, indicating the VCARB 02 has usable pace on low fuel and medium stints.

Lawson qualifies 12th; Tsunoda 13th, after neither advances from Q2.

Up front, Max Verstappen secures pole, ahead of Lando Norris, with Oscar Piastri sixth. That likely stretches the field early and shapes pit windows for the midfield.

Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson rivalry intensifies after Austin qualifying — Image Credit: Motorsport Week

For RB, Sunday pivots on launch, clear air, and tyre offsets. An early undercut, or stretching the first stint, offers the best route to points from row six.

Both frame the disagreement as secondary to race preparation. Expect the focus to move to starts, tyre life, and strategy windows rather than lingering qualifying gripes.

Max Verstappen takes pole ahead of Lando Norris; Oscar Piastri starts sixth.

Visual Summary

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“What was that for?”

Lawson v Tsunoda: Qualifying flare-up – friction in the heat of Austin

12
Lawson
VCARB 02
🇳🇿

13
Tsunoda
VCARB 02
🇯🇵

Surprise gust ruins Turn 1 pace.

Accusations didn’t slow either driver, but midfield rivalry is heating up just as Sunday’s race approaches.

Sprint:
Lawson 9th | Tsunoda 7th

Pole:
Verstappen

Front Row:
Norris (2nd)

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.