Liam Lawson Secures Ninth Place at the United States Grand Prix
Liam Lawson finished ninth at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, securing two championship points and extending Racing Bulls’ advantage in the constructors’ standings, as reported by nzherald.co.nz. Starting ninth on the grid, the New Zealand driver executed a clean race on a high-wear circuit to maintain his position and add to his season tally.
Lawson aimed to hold his position off the line rather than chase aggressive early gains. At turn one, he defended against Alpine driver Pierre Gasly. Lawson successfully fought off early pressure despite handling an initial bout of understeer. By lap three, Gasly lost a position to Ollie Bearman due to a penalty, which allowed Lawson to open a gap of more than three seconds. However, the Austin circuit proved punishing on front tyres. Lawson managed high degradation before pitting on lap 27 for hard tyres to cover Gasly’s undercut. The strategy worked, and Lawson returned to the pointspaying positions after late-race stops from Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg.
The two points earned in Austin take Lawson’s season tally to 77, sitting 35 clear of his closest challenger in the drivers’ championship where he remains ninth. More critically for the team, the result extends Racing Bulls’ cushion over Alpine in the constructors’ standings to 33 points. Fifth place in the constructors’ championship carries an estimated $180 million in prize money. With Racing Bulls standing as the final team yet to confirm its 2027 driver pairing, Lawson continues to strengthen his case for retention ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
At the front of the field, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli claimed his ninth victory of the season but missed out on clinching the youngest Formula One drivers’ championship in history. Needing a 125-point lead by the end of the Austin weekend, the 20-year-old’s advantage remained at 123 points after teammate George Russell finished eighth and denied him the extra margin. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second, trailing Antonelli by more than 16 seconds, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took third to halt his own two-race winning streak. Lewis Hamilton kept his faint title hopes alive by finishing fourth for Ferrari, sitting 124 points back from Antonelli heading to the next round in Mexico.
How many points does Liam Lawson have in the 2026 drivers’ championship?
Liam Lawson holds 77 points following his ninth-place finish in Austin, putting him 35 points clear of his closest challenger in ninth place.
What is the prize money difference for fifth place in the constructors’ championship?
The team that finishes fifth in the constructors’ championship stands to secure an estimated $180 million in prize money, with Racing Bulls currently holding a 33-point advantage over Alpine.
Where does Formula One race next?
The championship moves immediately to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the Mexican Grand Prix, marking the second stop of the final triple-header of the 2026 season.
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