Lawson and Lindblad lead a masterclass in survival for Racing Bulls

It is not often you see a team transform their fortunes quite like this. After struggling throughout the early stages of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Racing Bulls clawed their way back to secure a P5 and P6 finish for Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. It is their first double points finish of the season, a massive result that leaves the squad sitting P6 in the Teams’ standings, only two points behind Alpine.

Here is the thing: they were smart. They survived 78 laps in the Principality, aided by a timely red flag and penalties for those ahead. Lawson, who started from P10, matched his career-best Formula 1 result, while Lindblad turned a dismal P15 qualifying effort into his best finish since joining the grid. As Lawson put it, "It's been a big turnaround. We struggled at the start of the weekend and we've now got a really quite competitive car at the end of the weekend."

It was a calculated performance from a team that seems to be mastering the art of capitalizing when others falter. Lindblad echoed the sentiment, noting the team executed a strong race despite his personal disappointment on Saturday. For a team that has been working from Faenza and Milton Keynes to find pace, this was an essential day for their championship standing.