Liam Lawson aims to be make an impression in Bahrain. Photo: Photosport
Liam Lawson says he is approaching the Bahrain Grand Prix with a clear head, as he attempts to put his "chaotic" start to the Formula One season behind him.
The Kiwi had poor results in the opening two Grand Prix of the season - in Melbourne and Shanghai - before being dropped to Red Bull's development team, the Racing Bulls.
He had a tough time in the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend, finishing 17th after qualifying in 13th position.
"Obviously it's been a chaotic couple of weeks and months and to be just able to go racing and focus on all that is really the best thing for me,'' he told a press conference on Friday in the lead-up to the Bahrain race.
The Racing Bulls team has admitted it should not have kept Lawson on the Suzuka track so long before pitting last weekend.
The tactic backfired as Lawson ended up back in the field when he rejoined the race, while a change to soft tyres didn't yield any advantage.
Liam Lawson in the Racing Bulls car at the Japan Grand Prix. Photo: Photosport
The better news for the team was the performance of Lawson's new team-mate Izack Hadjar, who finished eighth.
"It was a good start, it was nice to be back with the team last weekend, I think we just slid right in," said Lawson, who was in the Racing Bulls colours last year before his promotion.
"Although the race result wasn't amazing, I think the weekend was honestly looking quite OK.
"There's lots of positives to be taken from it and I'm just happy to be racing again."
Lawson clearly hasn't enjoyed much of what has happened this year - and Red Bull has been criticised for demoting him after only two drives as four-time world champion Max Verstappen's team-mate, including by Verstappen himself.
But the 23-year old said he was approaching Bahrain with a clear head and was buoyed by the speed of the Racing Bulls car even though it was taking some getting used to.
"Although I drove it a lot last year it is different to what I have been driving and it probably took a bit of an adjustment.''
He said the Bahrain race was a good opportunity, but had no doubt about the gravity of the test.
"This weekend will be quite tough, probably even closer than it has been which is quite crazy, but we are all just focused on the job," he said.
Having the Saudia Arabia Grand Prix the weekend after Bahrain is a plus for him.
"It speeds up the adjustment to a car and fitting back into the team, so all of that is positive."
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