Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson were both handed a one-place grid penalty for an “unacceptable” collision during second practice for the Mexico Grand Prix.
Verstappen attempted to pass Lawson on the inside at Turn 12 entering the old baseball stadium, but the Racing Bulls driver held on, so the two men went side-by-side into Turn 13 and made contact at Turn 14 with a piece of debris falling from the Dutchman’s car and causing a red flag.
Collisions of this nature between drivers during testing are extremely rare, and the stewards said both drivers “behaved in a manner considered unacceptable” and that a warning had been given at the team bosses’ meeting earlier on Friday regarding overtaking in the final sector.
The stewards also said Verstappen and Lawson both admitted the decisions were “unnecessary and clumsy”.
They added: “Noting that there had been similar incidents this year between drivers during free practice, the stewards decided to increase the penalty from a formal warning to a grid position penalty, particularly in view of the warning that had been given at the team principals’ meeting and consistent with other incidents involving contact between cars during free practice in previous years.”
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Highlights from Friday’s practice sessions at the Mexico Grand Prix
‘Not smart when you’re fighting for your seat’ – Verstappen lashes out at Lawson
The incident was made even more surprising by the fact that both teams have the same owners, with Racing Bulls considered Red Bull’s junior team.
The Racing Bulls are yet to confirm their driver lineup for 2027 and Lawson’s future is uncertain despite the New Zealander sitting ninth in the standings, 39 points ahead of teammate Arvid Lindblad and occupying the ‘best of the rest’ position behind the top four teams.
Asked about the incident before the stewards’ verdict, Verstappen said: “I don’t think it qualifies as unlucky. It’s maybe not very intelligent behavior of what he was trying to do there.”
“At the end of the day, it’s not going to change my weekend.
“If I were him, I would act a little smarter. Plus, when you’re fighting for your seat, that’s not very smart behavior.”
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen and Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson collided during second practice in Mexico (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov, who made his F1 testing debut on Friday in Mexico, is second in the Formula 2 championship and remains in contention for a seat at Racing Bulls next year.
Verstappen, who wields major power at Red Bull and signed a new long-term deal with the team this summer, appeared to be referring to this situation with his comments.
In a separate interview, the four-time world champion added: “When he saw me coming, he suddenly started accelerating. I don’t know what was going through his mind, that he wanted to run me off the track in the hairpin.
“It’s not very sensible behavior for someone in his position to fight with me.”
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Jamie Chadwick and Bernie Collins weigh in on Max Verstappen-Liam Lawson collision during FP2 at Mexico GP
Lawson, who was Verstappen’s teammate for the first two rounds of the 2025 season before being abruptly dropped by Red Bull, was not required to speak to the media following Friday’s on-track action.
However, immediately after the incident, Lawson said on radio that Verstappen “literally crashed into me” and added “if I go backwards every time, what do I do? He actually went off the track and fell next to me.”
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane said both drivers were to blame for the “completely unnecessary” collision.
“I don’t know what Max said, I didn’t hear or see anything,” Permane said.
“I’m sure he has his opinion and Liam has his opinion, but mine does, it’s just not necessary and they can both do better.”
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Max Verstappen criticized Liam Lawson after a collision between the two during the second practice session for the Mexico GP
Which driver was most wrong?
Three-time W Series and Sky Sports F1 champion Jamie Chadwick agreed with Verstappen’s comments on the incident, given the situation he finds himself in.
“If there’s another driver on the grid you can hold on for a bit, but when it’s the senior team, the team that also has influence on the decision that’s yours, is it necessary to do that? Probably not,” she said.
“But he was the same even when he was going against Max as a teammate – he went against him really hard and they know exactly what this team is about, so I don’t think it’s the wisest thing potentially on any of them’s part, but particularly on Liam’s side.”
Former McLaren and Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins said both drivers would “regret their decisions”.
“Both drivers had the opportunity to do something different there and both drivers will ask themselves ‘was that turn really worth it?'” she said.
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Liam Lawson teams up with Sky Sports F1’s Simon Lazenby and Naomi Schiff to prank Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad with fake interview
Is Lawson’s seat in jeopardy for 2027?
Lawson is the highest-ranked midfield driver in the F1 Drivers’ Championship, with only Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull drivers ahead of him in the standings.
He bounced back from two disappointing races with Red Bull in early 2025 and did enough to win a full season at Racing Bulls this year, where he outperformed rookie Arvid Lindblad.
Lawson has scored twice as many points as Lindblad and Sky Sports F1’s Karun Chandhok thinks it would be “unfair” if Lawson lost his seat.
“He’s done a fantastic job this season. He came back with the mental baggage of being sacked from Red Bull’s flagship team, he returned to Red Bull earlier this year for three races (when Isack Hadjar was injured) and did a good job there. And he delivered really, really well,” Chandhok said.
“I understand that the junior team is a university to prepare drivers for the best team. Today it is a strong midfield team, which has its own identity, its own sponsors, its own reasons to be competitive and not just to be there to train the drivers.
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After Liam Lawson pranked Arvid Lindblad with a fake interview, Lindblad gets his revenge on his Racing Bulls teammate with some challenges in the F1 Paddock.
Collins added: “There are two aspects to a feeder team. One is to bring in very young talent, to prepare them for the big team, but what Liam has shown is that he can get to that seat in a big team and it’s important to have someone current who can step in at any time.
“I don’t really know what he can do and I’m a bit surprised that we’re talking about it because looking from the outside at what happened at Racing Bulls this year, the points he scored and the races he did, he should have done enough, more than enough.
“If anything, we should be discussing Arvid Lindblad’s seat because he’s the one who hasn’t scored as many points. He’s had a good year by rookie standards, but if you just look at the scoresheet, which is what’s important for teams, that’s the one you should be discussing: did he do enough against Liam Lawson?”
Sky Sports F1 Mexico GP Live Schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments from the Mexico Grand Prix
Saturday October 31
5:15 p.m.: Practice 3 of the Mexico Grand Prix (session starts at 6:30 p.m.)
8:00 p.m.: preparation for qualifying for the Mexico Grand Prix
9 p.m.: QUALIFYING FOR THE MEXICO GRAND PRIX
11 p.m.: Ted’s qualification log
Sunday November 1st
6:30 p.m.: Grand Prix Sunday: preparation for the Mexico GP
8 p.m.: THE MEXICO GRAND PRIX*
10 p.m.: Checkered flag: reaction from the Mexico GP
11 p.m.: Ted’s notebook
*also on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 is in Mexico where Kimi Antonelli could win the drivers’ championship in Sunday’s race at 8 p.m. (prep from 6:30 p.m.), live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
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