Team RB's rookie New Zealand driver Liam Lawson continues to find it tough going in Formula 1.
Lawson dropped from 10th on the grid to 16th on the opening lap of the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix on Saturday (Sunday NZ Time), holding that position after overtaking RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda late.
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Lawson finished one spot ahead of RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda in the 19-lap sprint race, more than 34 seconds behind winner, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, and head of Red Bull rival Sergio Perez and Williams' Franco Colapinto.
"The first lap was a bit of a disaster," Lawson said. "I don't really know why, we just had really low grip through the first part of the lap ... that pretty much killed our race."
The 22-year-old then qualified 17th, being knocked out during the first qualifying session, for the feature race in Qatar on Sunday (5am Monday NZT). He was almost a second slower than pole-sitter and champion-elect Max Verstappen.
Lawson blamed Aston Martin's Lance Stroll, who slowed during the session, for disrupting his qualifying attempt.
"He purposely slowed up through (turn) nine and 10 when he aborted his lap," Lawson said over the team radio. "It just sucks, man."
Tsunoda, Perez and Colapinto, who Lawson is battling for a possible seat alongside Verstappen in Red Bull's top team for 2025, qualified ninth, 14th and 19th, respectively, for the main race.
"It's going to be tough from where we're starting," Lawson said of his chances to pick up points at the Losail Circuit. "We'll work as hard as we can, but judging from today's race, it's going to be difficult."