Verstappen and Lawson each lose a grid place in Mexico after FP2 clash

Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson will each drop one place on the grid for Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix after their cars made contact in second practice. The stewards also gave each driver one penalty point on his super licence. Neither was on a flying lap when the pair reached the stadium section at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Friday.

Three corners and a red flag · Verstappen questions Lawson’s judgement · Why both drivers were penalised

Three corners and a red flag

At 16:22 local time, Verstappen was preparing for a flying lap while Lawson was cooling his tyres before another run. Verstappen went up the inside at Turn 12. Lawson tried to get the place back at the next left-hander, and the two ran side by side. The Red Bull bounced over the kerb and, as Verstappen rejoined the circuit, the cars touched at Turn 14.

The contact damaged the floor of Verstappen’s Red Bull and the front wing of Lawson’s Racing Bulls. Debris on the track brought out a brief red flag. Both drivers resumed their programmes, with Verstappen finishing fifth and Lawson ninth.

Verstappen questions Lawson’s judgement

“Also when you’re fighting for your seat, it’s not very smart behaviour,” Verstappen said after practice, before the stewards announced their decision. Lawson gave his team a different account over the radio, saying Verstappen had come back onto the track and hit the side of his car.

Racing Bulls have yet to announce their 2027 line-up. One of the contenders, Nikola Tsolov, drove Lawson’s car earlier on Friday. The Bulgarian finished 12th in first practice, just 0.126 seconds behind Arvid Lindblad in the other Racing Bulls.

Why both drivers were penalised

Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane criticised both drivers for taking that risk in practice. At the hearing, both acknowledged that their moves had been unnecessary and clumsy. Team managers had already been warned about overtaking in the final sector earlier that day. With similar incidents in practice this season, the stewards decided a formal warning would no longer suffice. The penalty point is Verstappen’s first in the past 12 months and takes Lawson’s total to four.

Sources: FIA 33 · FIA 34 · Formula1.com