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Lawson frustrated after big shunt: 'I was too aggressive'

20 August 2023 at 14:43
Last update 20 August 2023 at 15:12
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  • Ludo van Denderen

Liam Lawson missed out on the 2021 title in the German DTM as he was tapped off the track in the final race of the season. With the championship in Japanese Super Formula in sight, the Red Bull Junior mostly blamed himself for losing very precious points after a mega-crash. This time, the New Zealander was the cause of all the carnage.

Lawson was equal first in the standings before the race weekend in Japan. Thanks to third place on the grid - five places ahead of his rival Ritomo Miyata - the Red Bull Racing reserve driver had the ideal starting position to create a gap to the Japanese driver. At the start, Miyata did not move from his spot, so a good result beckoned for Lawson. But all aspirations failed after the second corner: Lawson got stuck, hit the kerbs and then spun back onto the track.

Competitors fly through the air

There, Tadasuke Makino and Yuhi Sekiguchi could no longer avoid Lawson. The two Japanese hit Lawson's Mugen, flew through the air and for them it was the end of the race. Makino even had to go to hospital with chest and back complaints. Lawson was able to continue, but finished in the backfield (13). Miyata - who had got his car going after all - finished well ahead of him in fourth place.

Afterwards, Lawson was extremely disappointed with his accident. "ou have incidents all the time when but’s not your fault, but you could have done something differently to avoid it. I didn’t drive myself off the track, but maybe I was too aggressive," he told Motorsport.com. Lawson also admitted that he had not expected Tomoki Nojiri - his teammate - on the inside of the corner.

Watch Lawson's crash again here: