It has been a highly charged and emotional few weeks in international motorsports. This is particularly so in Formula One, Formula Two and FIA Formula 3 Championships where triumph and tragedy have been interweaved at every corner.
The tragic loss of Formula Two and Renault F1 junior driver Antoine Hubert at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium, and the life-threatening injuries for American Juan Manuel Correa in the same incident, has stunned the racing community to its very core. That was followed by a triumphant weekend for Charles Leclerc at both Spa and Monza for Ferrari. He claimed back to back wins in front of the Tifosi and has effectively completed a changing of the guard between the young Monegasque and his four-time world champion teammate Sebastian Vettel.
So, this week I reached out to a Kiwi at the heart of all of it. Liam Lawson was at both Spa and Monza racing in the FIA Formula 3 Championship. His experience in the last two weeks has been eye-opening and character building.
“Monza itself was one of my favourite weekends so far. The atmosphere is really cool and very special with all the Ferrari fans there. But it was also tough and you could still feel the ramifications of the week before with Antoine Hubert at Spa (Francorchamps). For me, it was the first weekend I’ve experienced something like that happen. It was really quite scary to be part of such really, sad news, for that too have happened.
“The last two weeks at Spa and Monza, I’ve seen three of the biggest crashes I’ve ever seen in my life. In the Sunday race at Spa, my teammate got a puncture and went straight off at the fastest corner of the track and went underneath the tyre wall. He was going so quick that the tyre wall didn’t stop him he just went straight underneath it and was trapped under there.
“Then we had Alex Peroni. I was following him, only two or three cars behind, so he went flying over the top of me and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I could see him through the halo cos he’s directly upside down and as he goes over me I can actually see him face to face and it was really scary.
“So, the last couple of weeks have been quite scary in that sense and obviously it’s extremely sad to see Antoine Hubert lose his life.”
In fact, Liam’s Monza weekend had a lot of parallels with the F1 race weekend. He was also embroiled in a qualifying controversy and an excellent second place at the end.
“We had 30 cars out on track so there was some big traffic dramas where the front couple of cars are slowing down and everyone wants to get a slipstream. It’s worth half a second a lap, with a tow. And without naming names, the guys at the front were playing a few games with everybody and basically backing everyone up.
“I started my laps well behind the field to get some clear track. However, every time I got to the end of the lap there 15 to 20 cars just stopped, doing 30 km and weaving along trying to set up their laps cos the front guys kept slowing up.
“We kept getting compromised and had to slow down to avoid hitting what was in front of us.
“Then there was some really weird calls by the stewards as they decided that everyone who slowed down should get a penalty. So we all got penalties for basically not crashing into the cars in front which we thought was a bit stupid. We all got 5-place penalty so we were put back to 14th.
“In the race though we had good pace and got up to seventh at the finish which gave us a front-row start for race 2.
“At Monza, what happened in Formula One exactly happened to us. We had been asking to split quali’ with 30 cars. The way to fix it is splitting qualifying into two groups.”
Lawson’s weekend ended with an excellent second place behind Japanese Yuki Tsunoda of Jenzer motorsport. Despite this being an excellent result which keeps him 11th overall, Liam was disappointed as he saw it as an opportunity lost.
“Second place is a really good result for me and the team and good points. To be honest, I left the track very disappointed with that race. Our pace in the dry has been a struggle all season so as this was a wet race at least at the start we all knew this was one of our opportunities to win a race.
“Then I got a terrible start and dropped to fifth. Over the race we had really good pace and drove back to second and almost got to the lead. Unfortunately I was pushing so hard that by the end of the race I had no tyres left. On a track that was drying up and on wet tyres, the rears (tyres) were gone. I had no traction and couldn’t get close enough on the straights.
“So, we got second place, and in that sense, it was a bit disappointing as we definitely had the pace to win that race but it’s still a very good result.”
Lawson has three more rounds left in the season. Two in EuroFormula Open at Barcelona and Monza, and the final round of FIA F3 at Sochi at the Formula One Russian Grand Prix weekend.
“Sochi is a track we can’t test on and it’s unique, so I’ll be doing lots of sim work that’s for sure. But I think the guys that have been there will have the advantage.
“We will do the best job we can and try to finish the season on a high.”
So once the season is over what about a jaunt to the Macau F3 Grand Prix and then back home to defend his title in the Castrol Toyota Racing Series . Despite my prompting, Lawson is staying tight lipped and leaving it up to Red Bull to decide, as he should.
“Well both are still a possibility. Obviously I’d love to go to Macau for the first time. It’s something I’m really keen on doing, but we are still waiting to know.
“Toyota, I don’t know either, but I’ve seen the new car being tested at Hampton and Manfeild. Now there are 10 super license points for the winner, along with the new car, which is already raced in Europe, I think the grid this year will be very promising. I think a lot more people will be interested in doing it. I’d really be open to doing it again as I’d love to come back and defend my title.”
The news that Asian F3 going head to head with TRS does not concern the New Zealand Champion.
“I think TRS is really well run. We have loads of track time in those five weeks and it’s great preparation for racing in Europe. It’s perfect for that.
“As regards to other championships running at the same time, for me, TRS’s advantage is the competition level which is so strong. You’ve got guys coming from every level of racing as we saw last year. All coming down to New Zealand to do it. The competition level is superb.
“The other advantage is the teams themselves. They are so professional and some of the Kiwi teams are now pairing up with European ones. I was running with M2 last year to win the series and they were extremely professional and are the best team I’ve ever worked with for sure. You learn a lot doing it and it’s a really great championship to do.”
For Lawson, his first season in Europe having beaten the world at home, is all about learning and growing. There’s no question that the last two weeks alone have been a real education and experience both in Triumph and Tragedy, but he has taken it all in his stride.
As Rudyard Kipling once wrote in his famous poem- “IF”…. ‘If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters just the same ….. You’ll be a man my son.’
Liam Lawson may still be young and in his teens, but his experience this season has been crucial for his development. He is mature beyond his years and is very much now his own man and I think we would ALL love to see him hoon round Hampton Downs one more time this summer.
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