Liam Lawson offered a self-critical analysis of his Q1 elimination at the Chinese Grand Prix, his third successive elimination in the first part of a qualifying.

The Kiwi driver went through a nightmare qualifying session in Shanghai, resulting in his elimination as the slowest car of all 20.

Liam Lawson: I need to get a handle on it

After finishing last in Sprint Qualifying on Friday in China, Lawson made some forward progress during the Sprint race itself to finish in 14th.

But it was back to square one in qualifying for the Grand Prix, with Lawson finishing slowest of all with a best time 1.2 seconds down on the fastest, set by Lando Norris, while being eight-tenths of a second down on what Max Verstappen managed in the other RB21.

Consigned to watching the rest of qualifying from the sidelines, Lawson went on to see Verstappen join in the fight for pole position as the Dutch driver claimed fourth place and less than two-tenths away from Piastri’s pole time.

Speaking to Sky F1 after being eliminated, Lawson offered a very self-critical assessment of his adjustment to racing with Red Bull, as the pressure starts to build in just his second weekend with the Milton Keynes-based squad.

“I think it’s just time,” he said when asked what he needs in order to feel more comfortable behind the wheel of the RB21.

“Unfortunately, I don’t really have time, but it’s just one of those things that me driving a Formula 1 car, takes 100 percent confidence in what you’re doing.”

Lawson’s comments hint at a timeline within which he might be expected to start hitting the pre-season targets set to contribute points and be within a few tenths of Verstappen, but also could be interpreted as a particularly matter-of-fact assessment of the pressure he’s putting on himself to start contributing to Red Bull’s tally.

“It’s not that I don’t feel confident,” Lawson said.

“But the window is so small that, right now, I just seem to miss it. I just need to get a handle on it.  I don’t know how else to put it, it’s just not good enough.”

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With Red Bull having worked hard to widen the operating window of the RB21 for this year, after even Max Verstappen struggled to get the best out of last year’s recalcitrant machine, the early indications are that the team has been successful in this regard – but is still too narrow for an inexperienced rookie like Lawson.

“It’s just really tough, honestly,” he said.

“I think the window is really small. That’s known, but it’s not an excuse, like, I’ve got to get a handle of it.

“It was a messy session. Had we not dealt with traffic and stuff like that, it might have been okay but, to be honest, it’s still not good enough – to be having those issues, and that’s the reason that we get knocked out, we should be fast enough on our first lap.

“It shouldn’t be an issue, I just need to get on top of it.”

Lawson has never raced in Australia and China before, meaning the first circuit he will have experience of when he starts his weekend will be the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix.

Speaking to PlanetF1.com, former F1 driver turned broadcaster Giedo van der Garde said that “circumstances” have gone against Lawson, and urged patience to allow the Kiwi to find his feet.

“I think it’s more circumstances because we know also that he had the pressure last year – he had to jump in and show himself straight away, and he did it,” Van Der Garde said.

“I think he has a capacity to do well, and I don’t see any issue.

“I think it’s more circumstances because we know also that he had the pressure last year – he had to jump in and show himself straight away, and he did it.

“I think he has a capacity to do well, and I don’t see any issue.”

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