The Racing Bulls driver was eliminated before the race had a chance to settle after being caught up in a chaotic opening lap in slippery conditions. Lawson, who had made a strong start from 16th on the grid, was an innocent victim in a three-car tangle at Turn 5.

As the field navigated the damp track, Esteban Ocon’s Haas made contact with Lawson while trying to avoid the Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda, who was occupying the apex. The contact sent Lawson into a high-speed spin and broke the rear suspension of his car, forcing him into early retirement.

Speaking after the race, a clearly frustrated Lawson admitted he was still unsure how the incident unfolded.

“I haven’t seen it, so I have no idea what happened,” he said.

“We went next to each other through [Turns] 3 and 4. I honestly tried to give space through [Turn] 5 and then I just got a massive hit and I don’t know what happened.

“It’s a shame. I think we would’ve had a very good car today and obviously in a race like this, anything can happen. It’s just an opportunity that we’ve now missed.”

Full footage of the accident between Esteban Ocon and Liam Lawson!#F1 #Formula1 #BritishGPpic.twitter.com/WEXmbdSSeB

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Lawson’s frustration was amplified by the promise the team showed during the weekend, and by how much was left on the table in mixed conditions that could have suited the Racing Bulls car.

“Unfortunately, our race ended early due to a racing incident,” he added.

“We made the right call on tyres and had a strong start, so it’s a shame we couldn’t show the car’s full potential.

“I think we had a really good car today, especially suited to the mixed conditions. It was a race full of opportunity, and we missed out on some big points.”

The result was a disappointing contrast to the previous weekend in Austria, where the Kiwi finished sixth in his strongest showing since joining the grid full-time.

Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies echoed Lawson’s sentiments, lamenting a day of missed opportunities but highlighting the positives within the team’s growing momentum.

“To start with, the most important thing, both Liam and Isack are okay, they escaped the accidents they had unhurt,” Mekies said.

“There is never a good day to lose both cars in crashes, but it is what it is; today was not a good day for that. What matters is that we have a strong car, strong drivers and we were fast again this weekend.”

Lawson’s teammate Isack Hadjar also failed to finish, crashing out on Lap 18 after contact with Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes at Copse Corner during the first Safety Car restart.

It marked the first double DNF of the season for the Faenza-based team, despite a car that appeared competitive throughout practice and qualifying.

“We do leave here with zero points and we will be working very hard to improve on the few things that have derailed our weekend,” Mekies continued.

“We will be regrouping, preparing for Spa and turning up trying to use the pace of the car that we are confident we have.

“It might not have been the result we wanted to leave Silverstone with, but the hard work and team spirit in both Faenza and Milton Keynes is very high and I’d like to thank everyone for pushing to unlock the next steps together.”