Liam Lawson expects F1 'attraction' to return after rule changes

Liam Lawson is hopeful that the "attraction" of flat-out qualifying can return to F1 after problems found in the first three races.

At energy-starved circuits in Australia and Japan, drivers were forced to go into the super-clipping mode and also lift and coast to recapture energy at the end of long straights, and into the traditionally fast corners of Turns 9 and 10 in Melbourne, and 130R at Suzuka. 

A potential solution to this is lowering the amount of energy which can be harvested and deployed, but this would make cars slower in a straight line and through high-speed corners.

Ultimately, as part of crunch talks between the FIA, the teams and drivers, and F1, it was decided to lower the energy harvesting to 7MJ and permit super-clipping up to 350kw, the full allocation of battery power.

It is hoped this will reduce the need for lift and coast, with teams set to get their first chance at evaluating the new rules during the Miami GP weekend. 

Speaking before the changes were announced, Racing Bulls' Lawson explained he hoped the "attraction" of flat-out qualifying laps would return. 

"I think the attraction will be back. I mean, not regardless of the speed, because we definitely think the cars in Formula 1 need to be fast, and they are fast, but we want to be going faster than ever," Lawson told media, including RacingNews365. 

"The main thing comes from us putting a car on the limit and finishing a lap and going: 'Okay, that was a great lap, that's everything on the table', and that is where the attraction comes from. 

"If we're having to manage in qualifying and save energy and drive in a slightly different way to achieve that, then that's where the attraction goes away. 

"There is no way that we don't get frustrated with it, so everybody can feel and see it, and it is not hard to make it clear.

"Everybody can see, nobody is oblivious to the way we drive a race car, and obviously, as [the media] has seen for a long time, that's where the attraction is lost, or at least on a driver's side."