'I saw the car in pieces': Lawson overcomes issue for equal-best F1 finish

Liam Lawson is on a roll in Formula One.

The Racing Bulls driver has equalled his best-ever finish with fifth place at a chaotic, incident-packed Monaco Grand Prix.

While the result is a massive triumph for the 24-year-old Kiwi, his preparation, and the race itself, was an absolute rollercoaster.

Lawson revealed afterwards that a late mechanical scare almost prevented him from making it to the start line at all.

“Today, turn up to the garage and we had quite a big issue and I saw the car in pieces and didn't think I was racing,” Lawson said.

“So to put it together and just go and have a car that's very competitive is great."

The miracle repair by the Racing Bulls mechanics allowed Lawson to take his place at 10th on the grid, putting him in the perfect position to capitalize on one of the most unpredictable Monaco races in recent history.

The Grand Prix saw a staggering seven retirements, beginning on the opening lap when Max Verstappen suffered power-unit issues.

From there, Lawson kept his nose clean through heavy drama, including mid-race crashes by Lance Stroll and local favorite Charles Leclerc at the final corner.

The haul of points climbs Lawson up to ninth in the overall Drivers’ Standings.

It was a dream day across the garage as Lawson’s rookie teammate, Arvid Lindblad, overcame his own pre-race mechanical issue to charge through the field and finish just behind Lawson in sixth place.

The double-points finish gave the Racing Bulls squad plenty of reason to celebrate, with both drivers upholding the ultimate Monte Carlo tradition: a celebratory dip in the Monaco harbor.

Up at the front of the pack, teenager Kimi Antonelli made it five wins in a row for Mercedes, securing his first-ever Monaco victory and opening up a massive 66-point lead in the championship.

Antonelli finished ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, whose girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, caused a stir of her own.

The reality star divided F1 fans online after awkwardly brushing off veteran Sky Sports UK broadcaster Martin Brundle during his iconic pre-race grid walk.

The next race is in Barcelona this weekend.