Lawson missed out on Q3 by 0.126s as Nico Hulkenberg secured the final place in the top 10, consigning the New Zealander to 11th for the second consecutive grand prix.
The Racing Bulls driver had progressed comfortably from Q1 with the 11th-fastest time but was unable to produce a clean lap when the margins tightened during the second part of qualifying.
A lock-up compromised his opening Q2 attempt before he failed to find enough improvement on his final run, leaving Lawson frustrated with his own performance rather than the speed available from the car.
“I’m disappointed with my execution in Q2. We were pretty good in Q1, however I locked up in the first lap and didn’t have a strong second lap,” Lawson said.
“It’s a shame as the car has been very good. Our long runs have been quick, so we should have a fast car for the race tomorrow. Points are definitely within reach, so it’s all to play for.”
Lawson’s elimination came as teammate Arvid Lindblad continued his strong qualifying form by reaching Q3 for the third consecutive race.
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Lindblad secured ninth with a 1m18.281s despite completing only six laps in final practice after Racing Bulls changed the power units on both cars as a precaution.
Minor issues had been detected across Friday and Saturday, forcing the team into a late night of work on Lawson’s car before rushing to prepare Lindblad’s in time for the closing stages of FP3.
The limited running left Lindblad playing catch-up heading into qualifying, but the rookie recovered to progress through both opening sessions before finishing ahead of Hulkenberg in Q3.
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“I think today was really positive. We made a good step forward from yesterday, despite missing most of FP3 this morning,” Lindblad said.
“It put me on the back foot but we managed to get the car in a good place. A massive thank you to the mechanics for getting the car ready in time to give me those two laps before Qualifying, they were really valuable in helping me get back up to speed.
“Credit also to the engineers for giving me the confidence in the car when it mattered most. It was a real team effort.”
Lindblad said he believed Racing Bulls had placed itself in a strong position for the race, although he expected Audi to pose a significant threat over the longer distance.
“It’s a really enjoyable circuit to drive, and we’ve put ourselves in a strong position for tomorrow,” he said.
“We know Audi will be quick over the race distance, but we’ve done the job today to make sure we’re starting ahead, and now the focus is on converting that into a good result.”
Technical director Dan Fallows praised the Racing Bulls mechanics for completing the power unit changes without compromising either driver’s qualifying preparation.
“Despite the work involved, the garage team did a fantastic job to get the cars in great shape for Qualifying today,” Fallows said.
“Arvid overcame his lack of P3 running to put in a strong drive to secure 9th on the grid, with Liam also showing good pace and only missing out on Q3 by the smallest of margins.”
Racing Bulls had entered qualifying determined to secure favourable starting positions because of the difficulty of overtaking around the Hungaroring, with ninth and 11th leaving both drivers within reach of points.
“With our practice long runs looking competitive, we are aiming for a strong race tomorrow against Audi and hoping to come away with more valuable Championship points,” Fallows added.
Lawson will be seeking an immediate return to the top 10 after missing out on points at the Belgian Grand Prix, which marked his first pointless race since retiring from the Miami Grand Prix in May.
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