Liam Lawson executed an incredible overtake on a wet Monaco street circuit to claim his second Formula 2 win of the season.
“Yes boys, we have won at Monaco!” Lawson said over the team radio following the win.
The young Kiwi started from the de facto pole after fellow New Zealander Marcus Armstrong was forced to start from the pitlane due to a mechanical drama on his way to the grid.
Armstrong’s DAMS car grounded to a halt at the final corner and he had to be pushed back to the pits to start the race, leaving the pole position grid slot vacant.
However, Lawson was demoted to second after Oscar Piastri got the better start in the slippery conditions.
The rookie was more confident than Piastri in the wet, and he pushed the Prema driver hard in search of an overtake.
His first look came at the Swimming Pool on lap three. Piastri then made a mistake at the chicane moments later.
Nevertheless, each time Pistari held onto his position, leading Lawson to eventually muscle his way past at La Rascasse on lap six with an excellent overtake.
Lawson was untouchable once in front, and his lead over Piastri was out to 2.5s within two laps.
Piastri then lost second to Dan Ticktum, and the Brit began to reel in Lawson.
Ticktum diminished Lawson’s advantage to just three-tenths by lap 20 and was hot on the Kiwi’s heels.
A hairy slide at turn three from Ticktum eased some of the pressure on Lawson before the race was neutralised behind the safety car due to a multi-car kafuffle at turn one.
The track was drying quickly, yet most teams were reluctant to yield track position with a switch to dry tyres.
Thus, most drivers hung out on their wet rubber as the 30-lap race was reduced to a time-certain finish.
A steady restart from Lawson meant he re-established his slight advantage, and he simply drove into the distance to claim the victory.
In the end, a mammoth eight-second margin split Lawson and Ticktum; not a bad result considering Lawson had never driven at Monaco before this weekend.
Armstrong failed to finish in a disastrous race for the 20-year-old.
There is one more F2 race this weekend, which will be held over 42 laps and include one compulsory pitstop.
That race will begin at 3.15 am Sunday, with Lawson starting 12th and Armstrong 14th.
