Liam Lawson hands FIA rule adjustment blow after Suzuka change

Liam Lawson has dealt the FIA a blow over how effective its rule change was for qualifying at the Japanese Grand Prix, declaring it "didn't feel like" it made any difference.

For F1's most recent round at Suzuka, the FIA intervened ahead of the event and reduced the level of energy that could be used from 9MJ to 8MJ.

The hope was that this would limit lift-and-coast and super-clipping, allowing qualifying laps to be more flat-out, as they have traditionally been.

Unfortunately, super-clipping was still very present, particularly on the entry to the iconic 130R, leaving many drivers frustrated.

Asked if the FIA rule changes affected qualifying, Lawson told select media, including RacingNews365: "It's hard to know, because every track is very, very different at the moment.

"So I haven't driven with the previous settings you’re referring to, so it's very hard for me to tell. But it didn't feel like it."

Across the Japanese Grand Prix, many comparisons were made by fans to Super Formula, an elite Japanese single-seater series.

While its machinery has less horsepower than F1, it is renowned for its exceptional cornering speeds—something Lawson described as "very, very high".

Discussing Super Formula at Suzuka, Lawson said: "Yeah, the car here is something special. It's a very fun car to drive—low, comparatively, in horsepower to Formula 1, but the corner speeds are very, very high.

"My last experience of Super Formula was at this track, and it’s very, very enjoyable. It's still a great track."