Lindblad Apologises to Lawson After Baku Collision

Key Takeaways

What happened at the restart

Arvid Lindblad braked later than the cars around him at a safety car restart in Baku, resulting in contact with Racing Bulls team-mate Liam Lawson. The restart followed a crash for Williams’ Alex Albon, and as the field bunched up, Lindblad found himself sandwiched between Lawson and Haas’ Esteban Ocon, who were both running ahead of him into Turn 1. Lindblad’s late braking sent him into the back of the situation, making contact with Lawson’s car.

Stewards’ verdict

The stewards took no further action against Lindblad, ruling that his options were limited by “the restricted space available to” him at the restart. The incident was reviewed after the race but did not result in a penalty, with the panel accepting that Lindblad had little room to avoid the contact once boxed in between Lawson and Ocon.

The result on track

Lindblad finished seventh to collect six points for Racing Bulls, a solid result on what he himself described as “a difficult weekend” for the team. Lawson, however, was spun around by the contact and dropped to 12th, finishing outside the points-paying positions.

Lindblad’s apology

Lindblad took responsibility for the incident on his Instagram story shortly after the race. He wrote: “Strong race today, really happy to bring it home in P7. It’s not been an easy week, and I’m frustrated with how I handled some of it.” He added: “We’ve struggled as a team too, so I’m really happy with how we bounced back and maximised today on a difficult weekend. Big shoutout to the PU boys – you gave me an absolute rocketship today. Gutted about what happened with Liam – sorry mate. Glad we were still able to bring some points home for the team.”

Lawson’s side of the story

Lawson said the contact damaged his floor and left him confused about Lindblad’s move. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 immediately after the race, he explained: “I need to watch it, but I mean, we’re all coming into Turn 1 on the restart, and I just got smoked from my left, put a hole in my floor as well. So I don’t really know what gap he was looking for. In the middle of both of us going into Turn 1, I just don’t understand it.”

FAQ

Q: Did Arvid Lindblad get penalized for the collision with Liam Lawson?
No, the stewards took no further action, ruling that Lindblad had “the restricted space available to” him at the safety car restart.

Q: What position did Arvid Lindblad finish in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Lindblad finished seventh, scoring six points for Racing Bulls.

Q: How did the collision affect Liam Lawson’s race?
The contact spun Lawson around and put a hole in his floor, and he ultimately finished 12th, outside the points.

Q: Did Arvid Lindblad apologize to Liam Lawson?
Yes, Lindblad apologized on his Instagram story, writing “Gutted about what happened with Liam – sorry mate.”

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