Lawson claims fastest lap and P7 in Sochi feature race

Liam Lawson leaves the latest Formula 2 round in Sochi with a small tally of points after a P7 finish in the feature race.

The Kiwi ran the alternative strategy of starting the 28-lap on the slower medium tyre.

Ultimately, the decision meant he rapidly dropped through the field in the opening few laps before the tyres found their grove.

Settling into his stride just outside the top ten, Lawson eventually cycled to the lead at the start of lap 11 as everyone else swapped from the soft to the medium tyres.

The Hitech driver led the field until the end of lap 18, when he pitted for his only stop of the race and fitted the faster soft tyres to his car.

Rejoining the race in a provisional P8, Lawson immediately posted the race’s fastest lap and went to work on slimming the margin to the rivals ahead of him.

Lawson gained on the cars ahead throughout his final stint, though he could not get close enough to launch an attack.

A puncture for Ralph Boschung three laps from home gifted Lawson a free position.

The result is Lawson’s only points haul from the weekend. He crashed in the first sprint race and the second sprint was cancelled due to thunderstorms.

He is still eighth in the driver’s standings with six races remaining.

Marcus Armstrong finished 11th, one place outside the points-paying positions.

The DAMS driver did have a slight scare late in the race when he narrowly avoided hitting Jake Hughes.

Hughes had spun on the exit of the blind turn 15 just as Armstrong was arriving at the corner.

Australia’s Oscar Piastri claimed his third win of the season with a comfortable pole-to-victory drive.

The Prema racer only relinquished the lead during the pitstop sequence and preserved enough tyre life to resist a late push from Theo Pourchaire, who finished second.

F2 does not race again until December for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on the brand-new Jeddah Street Circuit.