New Zealand Formula 1 driver Liam Lawson has finished ninth in the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas scoring two points in the process.
The top-10 finish is a massive boost for the 22-year-old who has been placed in the drivers seat at the expense of Australian Daniel Ricciardo.
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Charles Leclerc won the race, ahead Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz. Lando Norris was third across the line, but lost the place to Max Verstappen after a five-second penalty was imposed after he left the track, gaining an advantage in overtaking Verstappen.
Lawson started at the back of the grid due to engine penalties incurred by his RB racing team, while George Russell started from the pit lane after his crash in qualifying. Remarkably, Mercedes driver Russell worked his way through the field to finish sixth.
Lawson had a sensational start, moving from 19th to 14th by the end of the first lap.
He continued to advance through the field, and by lap 19 was in eighth. He moved up to seventh after 30 laps, but dropped a few places after a late pit stop and comfortably held ninth place over the closing laps.
Leclerc won in one hour, 35 minutes 9.639 seconds, with Lawson 76 seconds behind him. The Kiwi's effort matched his ninth place in last year's Singapore Grand Prix, and moved him to 20th in the F1 standings.
It is a big fillip for him as he tries to raise his profile with Red Bull, RB's parent company, as he looks for a place in their premier team next year.
Key for Lawson was that he finished in front of fellow RB driver and rival Yuki Tsunodo, who was 14th.