Formula One: Liam Lawson 16th on sprint race return as Max Verstappen ends winless run

Liam Lawson has made a solid, yet unspectacular return to Formula One, taking 16th place in the sprint race for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

Starting 15th on the grid after his best qualifying time on Saturday was deleted, Lawson got through the shortened 19-lap race without any major incident, but gained valuable time on track before Monday’s 56-lap Grand Prix.

The race saw Racing Bulls’ Lawson complete a sprint race for the first time in his fledgling Formula One career, after he was forced to retire on the opening lap in Qatar last year.

While 16th is hardly a result that will see Lawson hit any major headlines, the 22-year-old Kiwi got the better of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso (18th), a two-time world champion. As Lawson and Alonso clashed on lap seven, their battle allowed Alpine’s Esteban Ocon to pull off a double overtake on the pair, and see the Kiwi lose one place.

The move saw Lawson brake late into a corner, before getting the better of Alonso at the exit, and reclaim the position he’d just lost. No warning or penalty was issued by the stewards to Lawson after his tangle with Alonso.

“[It was] a tricky start, a tricky first lap,” said Lawson post-race. “We just dropped off a little bit earlier than others. I lost a spot I probably shouldn’t have with Ocon.

“The pace wasn’t so bad, but when you’re in a train like that, it’s hard to overtake. Some stuff to figure out for tomorrow.”

However, Alonso didn’t see eye to eye with the Kiwi, after Lawson’s action forced the former world champion into evasive action.

“It’s his career that’s at stake; not mine,” the 43-year-old told Spanish-speaking media. “Liam has six races to prove a lot. It’s probably not the best approach he’s taking.”

As Red Bull battle to regain control of both the drivers and constructors championships, Max Verstappen took the chequered flag for the first time since winning the sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Victory gave Verstappen a valuable eight points, while title rival Lando Norris netted six for finishing third. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz completed the podium with second-place.

Verstappen has now won the last six Formula One sprint races, and of the 16 sprint races in the category’s history, the Dutchman has taken victory in 11 of them.

Elsewhere, Lawson’s Red Bull stablemates Sergio Perez and Yuki Tsunoda finished ninth and 11th respectively, with neither scoring any points for their respective sides.

Qualifying for the US Grand Prix begins later on Sunday, however Lawson will start 20th regardless of his performance, after a series of engine component changes after last month’s Singapore Grand Prix.

Lawson has six Grands Prix and a further two sprint races to confirm his future with Red Bull in Formula One, with his current stint only locked in until the end of the 2024 season.

Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.