Kiwi Formula 1 driver Liam Lawson has shown signs of progression at the latest practice ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Lawson finished 11th and 14th in the first two practice sessions overnight as he continues to get familiar with his Racing Bulls Car.
This weekend's event will be Lawson's third Grand Prix since being demoted from the Red Bull car last month.
While he was able to navigate the tough track in Jeddah, an issue arose afterwards in the stewards room when Lawson was investigated for failing to comply with race director's instructions. It was alleged he entered the painted area between the entry to the pits and the race track twice in the first practice session.
The stewards found Lawson's infringement was punishable but. because it occurred during practice, it gave him little to no advantage and was dismissed.
Lawson's best time across the two sessions meant he finished 1.221 seconds behind Lando Norris, giving him some cause for optimism as he sought his first points.
"[Saudi] lives up to the hype, to be fair," said Lawson. "It's very fast, it's very cool.
"We had a productive day, [we] did a lot of different things ... to try and learn what we can for tomorrow.
"Pace-wise, it’s hard to tell. We definitely need to find some time, relative to some of our competitors in the midfield."
Racing Bulls boss Peter Bayer suggested Lawson was returning to normal following his sudden axing from the top Red Bull team.
"I think it took a moment for him to digest," the Austrian told Reuters.
"First time I saw him when he came to Italy, he looked a bit sad. Honestly, that's how I perceived him. He was a bit puzzled with everything that happened very quickly.
"But also, at the same time, he knew the people, the tools, the set-up," he said.
"And I really felt that very quickly he was returning to being the old Liam. He's a great racer, somebody that has great humour, and that’s what we see now again."
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