Lindblad interrupted his teammate’s post-race interview to make his feelings known …Arvid Lindblad interrupted Liam Lawson’s post-race interview at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to apologise for the collision that disrupted his Racing Bulls team-mate’s race in Baku.
The incident came during a chaotic Safety Car restart on Lap 36, when the Racing Bulls drivers were fighting for valuable points. Lindblad attempted to take the inside line into Turn 1 but made contact with Lawson, sending the New Zealander into a spin and causing damage to his car.
Lawson was visibly frustrated by the incident and had been explaining what happened during his post-race media interviews when Lindblad approached him. Rather than allowing the disagreement to linger, the 19-year-old interrupted the interview to apologise to his team-mate.
The pair then embraced and briefly discussed the incident, with Lindblad accepting responsibility for his part in the collision. Formula 1 reported that Lindblad had arrived while Lawson was speaking in the media pen and apologised directly to him.
The clash was particularly frustrating for Lawson because Racing Bulls had appeared capable of scoring points with both cars after taking advantage of the Safety Car period. Lawson ultimately finished 12th, while Lindblad recovered to claim seventh place.
Speaking immediately after the incident, Lawson admitted that he was struggling to understand what had happened. He explained that the field was approaching Turn 1 together when he was hit from the left, with the contact also damaging the floor of his car.
“I just don’t understand it,” Lawson said when discussing the collision. He added that the incident was particularly disappointing because of its impact on the team’s race.
Lindblad offered a different perspective, arguing that the restart had become extremely chaotic. According to the rookie, the cars behind had repeatedly moved along the straight before finally reaching Turn 1, leaving little room for error as drivers attempted to gain positions.
Despite that explanation, Lindblad acknowledged that making contact with his team-mate was unfortunate. He said he had immediately apologised to Lawson and the team because there had been an opportunity for both Racing Bulls cars to finish strongly.
The Briton was nevertheless able to continue without suffering significant enough damage to prevent him from fighting for a points finish. He eventually crossed the line in seventh after passing Haas driver Esteban Ocon, securing six points from a difficult weekend.
The result was particularly valuable for Racing Bulls because Alpine suffered a double retirement following a separate incident involving Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto. Lindblad described the result as important damage limitation after the team had struggled for pace throughout the Baku weekend.
The collision came after a difficult qualifying session for Lindblad. The rookie had struggled with his brakes and confidence around the Baku City Circuit and had also crashed during practice. He admitted before the race that he was frustrated with himself and believed he had been trying too hard to produce something special rather than managing the weekend more carefully.
That background made his decision to approach Lawson after the race all the more notable. Rather than avoiding the situation, Lindblad confronted it directly while his team-mate was still discussing the incident publicly.
The apology also helped prevent the collision from developing into a prolonged dispute between the Racing Bulls drivers. Lawson had understandably been unhappy immediately after being hit, but the two drivers were seen speaking and embracing during the post-race interview.
For Lindblad, the incident ultimately had a mixed outcome. He walked away with a strong seventh-place finish and six points, but he also accepted that his move had cost Lawson a potentially valuable result.
- The Azerbaijan Grand Prix therefore ended with Racing Bulls securing important points but also left the team reflecting on what might have been. With both drivers fighting for positions in the midfield, the team will be keen to avoid another intra-team clash while maintaining the competitive pace needed in the remaining races of the season.
