Verstappen and Lawson handed grid penalties after Mexico GP practice clash

Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson have been handed grid penalties following a collision during second practice at the Mexico Grand Prix. The stewards described their conduct as unacceptable, while both drivers admitted their moves were unnecessary and clumsy.

Mexico City: Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson have been handed grid penalties for their “unacceptable” and “clumsy” incident during the second practice session at the Mexico Grand Prix here.

Having missed the first practice for rookie drivers Ayumu Iwasa and Nikola Tsolov, Verstappen and Lawson were back on the field for the second practice, where they made contact.

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Verstappen made a move on Lawson into Turn 12, but the Racing Bulls driver fought back at the next left-hand turn, forcing the Red Bull driver to bounce over the kerb and rejoin alongside Lawson. Both cars took damage: Verstappen’s Red Bull sustained floor damage, while the Racing Bulls car sustained front-wing damage.

The incident called for a brief red flag to clear the debris left on the track as the two drivers continued their runs, with Verstappen finishing P5 and Lawson P9. Speaking about the incident, the stewards confirmed that it was unacceptable and that a penalty had been handed down.

“On the approach to Turn 12, Car 3 (Verstappen) was on a preparation lap, and Car 30 (Lawson) was on a cool down lap preparing for another push lap,” read the stewards’ decision document. “The drivers of both cars behaved in a manner that was considered unacceptable by the stewards, particularly in view of the warning that had been given at the Team Managers meeting earlier this day. Both drivers admitted the moves were unnecessary and ‘clumsy’.

“Noting that there had been similar incidents this year of actions between drivers in Free Practice, the stewards have decided to escalate the penalty from that of a formal warning to a grid position penalty particularly in view of the warning that had been provided at the Team Managers meeting and consistent with other incidents involving contact between the cars in Free Practice in previous years,” the statement added.

Verstappen reacted to the incident, stating that it was a result of a “not very smart behaviour”. “At the end of the day, it’s not going to change my weekend but if I would be him, I would act a little bit smarter. Also, when you’re fighting for your seat, it’s not very smart behaviour,” Verstappen said.

Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane also called it ‘unnecessary’ and blamed both the drivers. “I think one word, just ‘unnecessary’ in a practice session; completely unnecessary, and I say that to both of them,” commented Permane.

Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc clocked the fastest time in the second practice as McLaren’s Lando Norris was second. Mercedes duo George Russell and poised-to-take the title Kimi Antonelli were third and fourth fastest ahead of Red Bull duo of Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.