Liam Lawson discloses team order 'disappointment' despite career-best result

Liam Lawson has explained why he found the Monaco Grand Prix "disappointing", despite securing the best result of his F1 career.

The New Zealander finished in eighth at the jewel in F1's crown, clinching his first points-scoring haul of the campaign, but was nonetheless left somewhat disheartened over how the weekend around the streets of Monte Carlo unfolded.

Having qualified ninth, the 23-year-old felt he should have done a better job in the grid-setting session, with Isack Hadjar higher up the timing board in sixth.

That set Lawson up for operating as a rear gunner during the 78-lap race, where Racing Bulls employed team orders "perfectly", in his own words, to secure a double points-paying result.

By deliberately backing up the majority of the field, the former Red Bull driver enabled his team-mate to complete his two mandated pit stops, thus ensuring he would finish in sixth.

When asked if the approach was worth it, given it seemed like a lot of work for places to remain almost the same, Lawson detailed how multiple teams were "in the same boat" as the Faenza-based squad.

"I guess so," he replied to Sky Sports F1. "It's just more of the guarantee, at least to have one car [in the points].

"It makes it a race between two or three cars in front, and then basically me and the rest of the field.

"But obviously, then the Williams do the same thing, and we're all sort of in the same boat."

Lawson benefitted from the retirement of Fernando Alonso to cross the chequered flag one place higher than he started, but revealed his regret at being on the "receiving end" of Racing Bulls' cunning team play.

"On our side of the garage, I probably should have done a bit of job [in qualifying], honestly, and that's a little bit disappointing that we're on the receiving end of it [team orders]," he reflected.

"But as a team, it's great for us to have both cars [in the points]."