Max Verstappen issued a direct warning to Liam Lawson following their collision during the second free practice session for the Mexican Grand Prix. The incident, which occurred on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, resulted in grid penalties for both drivers.
Verstappen, on a preparation lap, attempted to overtake Lawson, who was on a cooldown lap, into Turn 12. Lawson maintained his line through Turn 12 and Turn 13.
Verstappen then cut across the track at Turn 14, leading to contact between the two cars. The collision caused damage to Verstappen’s Red Bull, specifically the left-side bargeboard and floor.
Debris from the incident prompted a brief red flag period during the session. Stewards investigated the clash and deemed the actions of both drivers to be “unacceptable.”
Both Verstappen and Lawson received a one-place grid penalty for the Grand Prix, along with a superlicence penalty point. The stewards noted that the penalty was escalated due to a prior warning issued at the team managers’ meeting regarding similar practice incidents.
Speaking to Viaplay after the session, Verstappen criticised Lawson’s approach. He stated that Lawson’s behaviour was “not very smart,” particularly given his uncertain future in Formula 1.
“Look, you’re fighting for your seat, so you definitely shouldn’t be picking a fight with me.”
Verstappen clarified that he has consistently supported Lawson and spoken positively about him within the Red Bull organisation. He also emphasised his stance on on-track conduct.
“I don’t let anyone push me off the track,” Verstappen added. He further noted that drivers within the Red Bull family are taught to show respect for the senior team.
Lawson, a Racing Bulls driver, later apologised to Verstappen for the contact. He acknowledged that such incidents should not occur during practice sessions and committed to learning from the experience.
Lawson’s contract with Racing Bulls extends until the end of the 2026 season. His position for the 2027 season remains unconfirmed, with Racing Bulls evaluating driver options.
Nikola Tsolov, a Red Bull junior and Formula 2 title contender, is reportedly under consideration for a 2027 seat at Racing Bulls. Lawson has had a strong 2026 season, scoring points consistently.
He currently sits ninth in the Drivers’ Championship standings. Lawson also deputised for Isack Hadjar at Red Bull for three races earlier in the season due to injury.
Lawson was disqualified from qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix due to a technical infringement on his car. He has been granted permission to start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid.
Lewis Hamilton secured pole position for Ferrari, marking his first pole with the team. George Russell qualified second, just 0.009 seconds behind. Charles Leclerc will start third.
Verstappen, who qualified fourth, will start fifth after his grid penalty. Kimi Antonelli moves up to fourth on the revised grid.
Valtteri Bottas received a 50-place grid penalty for exceeding power unit component limits. However, as he qualified last, this penalty has no practical effect on his starting position.
