Arvid Lindblad describes 'one shot' Liam Lawson tactic in Belgium duel

Arvid Lindblad has detailed the "one shot" he had to pass team-mate Liam Lawson in the Belgian Grand Prix.

Lindblad started seventh at Spa with Lawson in ninth, but the New Zealander was able to sweep around the outside of Les Combes on the opening lap to squeeze ahead.

He was aided in this by Lindblad having to check up to avoid ramming the back of Oscar Piastri's McLaren, who himself had checked to avoid hitting Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari after the incident with George Russell's Mercedes.

As the field then swept through the exit of Les Combes, Lindblad attempted to move up the inside of Lawson, but Lawson held his ground to get ahead as the race then settled down, with Lawson at the head of the midfield, behind the top five breakaway of Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Hamilton and Piastri. 

After Lawson lost his overtake mode boost, Lindblad described how this was the "one shot" he required to get past, doing so on Lap 8 and going on to finish in ninth, losing a place to the Audi of Gabriel Bortoleto, who gained a free-stop under the virtual safety car.

"The deployment wasn't amazing, even though I pressed the boost, I pressed it about 50 metres too late, and that's why Liam was so close,” Lindblad told media, including RacingNews365.

"Then it was a bit annoying, we both broke late, but then we were coming pretty quickly at the McLaren, so I couldn't commit fully, or I would have run into the back of Oscar.

"So Liam got me there, I tried again at Turn 7, but wasn't able to pass, and then I just waited a couple of laps, tried to manage my tyres a little bit, and then I knew as soon as he lost the group in front, and I had the overtake, I'd have one shot, and I made sure to use it properly."

Turning to his own race, Lindblad expressed annoyance at Bortoleto being able to get ahead under the virtual safety car.

"For sure, it is a little bit annoying, because in a normal race, we would have been quite comfortably P8, but at the same time, fair play to Audi and to Gabi," he said.

"They rolled the dice, and they capitalised on the VSC, but looking at ourselves, it's been a strong weekend, and we maximised every session, so I am happy with my job.'"