05/02/2023
NEWS STORY
"Daunting, but "cool", admits Liam Lawson as he completes lap of the iconic Mount Panorama track ahead of the Bathurst 12 Hours.
The youngster was at the wheel of a 2011 RB7 as he took to the track between the opening qualifying sessions.
"Just crazy," he subsequently told Speedcafe.com. "Just really crazy...
"The first lap was honestly very daunting," he admitted, "going up the hill with all the elevation, and I was quite nervous. But by the second lap I actually got quite comfortable and the car was really good, so I loved it."
The car, with which Sebastian Vettel won the 2011 title, is now used for street demos, but was specially set-up for the Mount Panorama outing, allowing Lawson to stretch its legs.
However, a higher ride-height than when it was being raced meant less downforce.
"At points it was a bit rough," said Lawson, "but for a Formula 1 car on this place, I expected it to be worse.
"It just felt cool, really cool," he added. "Down Conrod, we were completely flat and through The Chase, I was braking at like, I don't know, 120 metres. It was so, so cool.
"It wanders a lot," he admitted. "I was like 'Oh my God' trying to keep it in a straight line, but once you get used to it, it's okay."
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