Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda struggle during qualifying at Italian Grand Prix

Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda faced significant challenges during the qualifying session for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 6, 2026. Lawson, who knew he would start from the pit lane due to power unit element changes, finished 13th in Q2 after being impeded by Oscar Piastri on his final run. Tsunoda experienced a difficult session, exiting in Q1 with a 1.028-second deficit to teammate Arvid Lindblad. While the Racing Bulls driver initially qualified 17th, penalties for other competitors moved him to 15th on the grid for the race. Both drivers struggled to repeat the performances that earned them praise following their substitute appearances at Zandvoort. Team efforts to resolve technical issues during the tight window between final practice and qualifying did not yield the desired improvement for either driver.