Formula 1 live updates: Liam Lawson in Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia qualifying

Live updates of qualifying for Formula One’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. ‘There are conversations’: Lawson awaits decision over F1 futureLiam Lawson is anticipating a decision over his future in Formula One “in the next few weeks” as the number of available seats on next season’s grid continues to shrink.Despite his successes this year, sitting ninth in the world championship as the best-placed driver outside of the sport’s top four teams, the Kiwi is yet to be confirmed to remain at Racing Bulls in 2027.Arriving in Malaysia, following Aston Martin retaining its current pair of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, only four seats remain available.Aside from both places at Racing Bulls, Haas are also yet to confirm their 2027 driver pairing, albeit with Esteban Ocon confirming he will leave the team, who are expected to retain Ollie Bearman. Formula Two championship leader Rafael Camara is understood to be the frontrunner to partner Bearman.However, sources have told the Herald that Lawson is all but certain to be retained alongside teammate Arvid Lindblad, with Red Bull junior driver Nikola Tsolov to fill reserve duties.However, speaking after arriving in Malaysia for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix – relocated to Asia due to the conflict in the Middle East – the 24-year-old conceded he’s still waiting to learn his fate.“At this stage, it’s pretty similar to how it’s been,” Lawson told print media at Sepang. “There are conversations obviously constantly being had in the background, but for me, it’s very much focused on the racing.“I don’t feel like there’s much more I could have done this year. We’ve had a good season and, at the moment, in a good place in the championship, and that’s where I’m trying to stay.Liam Lawson in Sepang for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Photo / AFP“At the moment, try and stay in ninth and keep those points rolling in, and those decisions I’m sure will be made in the next few weeks.”Helping Lawson’s cause, is a world-class record at Sepang in junior categories. While he’s yet to drive in Malaysia in Formula One, his previous visit there – coming in the 2018 F3 Asian Championship – produced three wins, two pole positions and three fastest laps for good measure. However, he also arrives in Malaysia after a forgettable Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Racing Bulls struggled for pace, before Lawson was hit by teammate Arvid Lindblad after a safety car restart.Lindblad escaped any punishment for the incident and went on to claim seventh place. And despite this being the third time the pair have clashed on track this year, following incidents in Austria and Great Britain, Lawson is prepared to let bygones be bygones. “I think from a team perspective, it’s great that we were able to score points in a weekend that was looking like it was going to be very, very tough for us,” he said.“In terms of the incident, from my side there’s not really a lot to discuss. I think it’s more on Arvid’s side with the team. I’m just focused on this weekend, trying to be back in the points.Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad in Miami. Photo / Photosport“You always do stuff after a race that sometimes can be a bit more emotional with this sort of adrenaline that you have driving these cars.“But to be honest, I was okay after the race. I didn’t feel too worked up about it. It wasn’t ideal and sucked for me. But it’s not something that I really had any control of.“Obviously I’d just not like it to happen anymore.”Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.