Liam Lawson expects Racing Bulls to be in a "very, very good place" once it makes improvements to its 2026 car after a points-laden start to the F1 season.
Whilst the New Zealander and rookie team-mate Arvid Lindblad have secured a result for the Faenza-based squad in each race so far this campaign, he does not believe the VCARB 03 has necessarily been a package strong enough to finish in the top 10.
When assessing the year so far during the impromptu F1 spring break before the Miami Grand Prix in May, Lawson reflected on a start that has delivered what he anticipated — at least in terms of pace.
The 24-year-old heralded the work of the team, which has helped produce better performances than predicted.
"Probably for how our preseason went and where we expected our speed to be, Melbourne was quite strong — definitely more strong than the other two rounds we've done so far," Lawson told media, including RacingNews365.
"I think we've definitely maximised for how our speed has been, which I think is really, really positive. So I think the team's done a really, really good job; everyone's done a really, really good job."
With three rounds gone, Lawson sits tenth in the drivers' standings with 10 points, six more than Lindblad, who is one spot below.
More consequentially, however, is that the pair has scored just two fewer points than the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, underlining their strong start but also the current weakness of the top team.
Nonetheless, Lawson was keen to send a warning shot at Racing Bulls' midfield rivals, sharing his positive outlook for the team once upgrades come.
"Going forward, obviously, the goal is to put more speed in the car, and I think once we do that, we should be in a very, very good place, because we've been able to score in every single race this year with a car that potentially struggled to be in the top 10," he added.
"And I think when we have a car that is quicker, we should be even stronger."
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