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The pair found each other on track as Lawson was completing his flying lap in the latter stages of Qualifying 1.
As the RB driver rounded the penultimate corner, he encountered a number of slower-moving cars, with Russell at the head of them.
The first three moved right, off the racing line, while Lawson awkwardly caught the Mercedes as he needed to turn into the final corner.
Russell hung wide, leaving space inside for the New Zealander while remaining on track to ensure his own lap wasn’t deleted.
“Not normally are we doing overtakes under brakes on a quali lap,” Lawson admitted.
“I know it’s nothing personal, it’s traffic. In Q1 especially is really tough.
“So at that point, honestly, I thought I was probably out because of how close the margins were, and I knew that I lost time with it.
“That was frustrating, but in the end, we got through.”
The incident was looked at by officials who ultimately deemed no further action was necessary.
It was caused by drivers slowing up to create space ahead of starting their own lap, while Lawson was at a different point in his qualifying sequence.
“With the way quali is at the moment, with the minimum time, we have to respect everybody’s trying to make their gaps,” Lawson explained.
“It helps in a lot of places, but it also can create issues, so it’s just one of those things.”
It left the Kiwi to thread the needle, with Lewis Hamilton heading into the pits on his right and Russell working to start his own push lap on his left.
“When you’re in a moment like that, I was just looking ahead,” Lawson said.
“I don’t even really remember, but I just remember it was in a very fast corner.”
Lawson was ultimately knocked out at the end of Qualifying 2 and will line up 12th on the grid for Sunday’s race.
It’s potentially his last with RB, with strong suggestions the New Zealander will be called up to the senior team alongside Max Verstappen next season.
That decision won’t be formalised until after the race, with Lawson insisting he’s remaining focused purely on that for the moment.
“I think everybody’s assuming [that] but right now I honestly have no seat and I’m not really sure what I’m doing,” he insisted.
“I’m focused on today to do the best job I can. Obviously we’re always being evaluated and I’m trying to do the best job I can.
“I’ll do the same tomorrow and hopefully I’ll get some news afterwards as to what I’ll be doing.”
