Racing Bulls claim 'best of the rest' honours after Austrian GP double points finish

Racing Bulls secured a double points finish at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, with Liam Lawson ninth and Arvid Lindblad tenth, earning the Faenza-based outfit three constructors’ points and a notable endorsement from F1 TV analyst Alex Brundle.

Brundle, speaking on F1 TV’s post-race show alongside co-host and former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe, had been asked whether Racing Bulls’ qualifying pace would hold up over race distance — a concern shared by many in the paddock. His verdict was unambiguous.

“They stopped twice. They drove around in ninth and 10th and they finished up at the back end of the points,” Brundle said. “But that’s not bad, is it? They’re the best of the rest, and they looked like, for the first time in a while, the best of the rest in terms of race pace as well, which is good. Drivers both did a good job — relatively uneventful for them really. They’ve delivered the pace that they had in qualifying and got it across the line.”

Lawson echoed that assessment, saying the team’s confidence grew as the 71-lap race unfolded. “Probably after the first stint, we knew that we had good speed compared to the other guys in the midfield,” he said. “I think we knew we were on for a decent race. And to be honest, I think our pace got better through the race as well compared to others, so pretty happy.”

The result consolidates Racing Bulls’ position in the constructors’ standings. The team sits sixth with 44 points, 13 behind Alpine in fifth. Lawson is tenth in the drivers’ championship on 30 points, while rookie team-mate Lindblad is 13th with 14 points.

The Austrian weekend represented a measured but meaningful step for a team that had shown strong one-lap pace in recent rounds without always converting it into race-day results. Brundle’s specific praise for their race pace — rather than just their qualifying performance — suggests the team may be finding a more complete package as the season progresses.