Lawson’s strong result came after a dramatic build-up to the race, with a significant technical issue leaving his car in pieces in the garage just hours before the start.
Prior to the race, he told Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle he did not think he would even make the start.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the race, Lawson reflected on the pre-race drama.
“I was probably looking quite depressed at that point,” he said on recalling the drama beforehand.
“I didn’t think I was going to race.”
The team ultimately resolved the issue in time, allowing Lawson to take his place on the grid and convert his strong qualifying performance into a career-equalling result on race day.
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“A massive job this weekend,” Lawson said.
“Honestly from where we started the weekend, we weren’t very quick.
“And then we’ve honestly changed the car way more than we normally do. And it was in a good place in quali.
“And then yeah today, turned up to the garage and we had quite a big issue.
“I saw the car in pieces and didn’t think I was racing.
“So to put it together and just go and have a car that’s very competitive is great.”
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In finishing fifth, the Racing Bulls driver equalled the fifth place he achieved at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last season, while also recording the best Monaco result by a New Zealander since Denny Hulme finished third in 1973.
Starting 10th, Lawson immediately gained ground when Max Verstappen stalled at the start and retired shortly afterwards.
He moved into ninth on the opening lap and steadily worked his way forward as incidents, penalties and retirements affected several of the drivers ahead.
While much of the race passed without Lawson battling nearby rivals, late safety cars and a red flag transformed the closing stages into a tense sprint to the finish, with track surface issues at the final corner triggering much of the late-race chaos.
“That’s the thing here. My whole race I was by myself. I didn’t see a car in front of me or behind me for pretty much 50 or 60 laps,” he said.
“And I really didn’t know much was going on. So I was just driving my own race and then it went from 50 laps of that to safety cars.
“And the warm-up was super hard here. Obviously there’s an issue on the track at the last corner, which we started to feel.
“You could see it building up. And there was a lot of rubber that was building up. And the track was, I haven’t seen it in person, but I guess it was cutting away. And it became very slippery.”
The result completed a memorable afternoon for Racing Bulls, with rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad finishing sixth to secure the best result of his Formula 1 career.
Like Lawson, Lindblad’s race weekend was nearly derailed before it began after his car also suffered issues ahead of the start.
“Yeah we had issues as well,” Lindblad said.
“My guys have been working since 9 o’clock for it. I think Liam had an issue a bit later. So massive job from the mechanics.
“From everyone on the RBPT to get both cars out, because I think there was a chance that neither of us were going to start.
“And thank god we did because the result of the team was pretty special.”
Lindblad said he spent much of the race battling difficult tyre conditions and traffic before a bold strategy call paid off during the late-race interruptions.
“I was also on a 50-lap-old tyre that had seen better days,” he said.
“So, yeah, it wasn’t the most fun. But obviously the red flag came out at a really nice time for us.
“We rolled the dice on the strategy, but it paid off in our favour.”
“I didn’t really know what was going on. Because obviously I’d been running around, I think I was P8 on track at the time, and saw safety cars.
“I was like, ‘right okay, we’re going to pit’. And they were like, ‘no, stay out’.
“I think I asked about three times, ‘are you sure?’ But in the end I don’t also have the full picture.
“They see a lot more than me. So I followed their decision.”
The double points finish was Racing Bulls’ first of the season and significantly boosted the team’s position in the constructors’ championship, leaving them just two points behind Alpine in the fight for fifth.
For Lawson, the result continued his strong start to the season, moving him into ninth in the drivers’ standings on 26 points.
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