Max Verstappen has been issued a one-place grid penalty for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix following an incident with Liam Lawson during Friday’s second free practice session. The Red Bull driver will now start Sunday’s race from fifth position, having originally qualified fourth.
The collision occurred in the stadium section of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, specifically between Turns 12 and 14. Verstappen was on a preparation lap, while Lawson, driving for Racing Bulls, was on a cool-down lap ahead of a subsequent push lap.
Verstappen attempted to overtake Lawson, who maintained his line. This led to contact at Turn 14 as Verstappen rejoined the track after running over a kerb. Both cars sustained damage, with Lawson requiring a new front wing and Verstappen’s bargeboard affected.
The incident prompted a brief red flag to clear debris from the circuit. Following an investigation, the FIA stewards deemed the actions of both drivers ‘unacceptable’ and ‘clumsy.’
This decision was made in light of a warning issued at the team managers’ meeting earlier that day regarding similar incidents. The FIA stated that the penalty was escalated beyond a formal warning to set a precedent against aggressive driving during free practice sessions, citing previous occurrences this season and in prior years.
The 2026 F1 Penalty Guidelines allow for grid place penalties for causing a collision in free practice, with the severity adjusted based on the incident. Both Verstappen and Lawson admitted their manoeuvres were unnecessary.
Consequently, both drivers received a one-place grid penalty and one penalty point on their super licenses. This marks Verstappen’s first penalty point in a 12-month period, while Lawson’s total now stands at four.
Lawson, who initially qualified eighth, was later disqualified from qualifying entirely due to a technical infringement related to his MGU-K deployment. This means he will start the Grand Prix from the back of the grid, rendering his one-place grid penalty less impactful.
Lewis Hamilton secured pole position for the Mexico City Grand Prix, marking his first pole for Ferrari and the 105th of his career. George Russell qualified second for Mercedes, with Charles Leclerc in third for Ferrari.
Kimi Antonelli, who qualified fifth, will start fourth due to Verstappen’s penalty. Antonelli enters the race with an opportunity to clinch his first world championship, requiring a ninth-place finish to secure the title.
Other grid alterations include Valtteri Bottas, who received a 50-place grid penalty for extensive power unit component changes on his Cadillac, placing him at the back of the grid. Fernando Alonso was reprimanded for not refitting his steering wheel after triggering a red flag in qualifying.
Verstappen commented on the penalty, stating, ‘That doesn’t surprise me, because that has happened more often in the past – also with other matters.’ Stewards Garry Connelly and Derek Warwick, who were part of the panel for this incident, were also involved in Verstappen’s one-place grid penalty at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix for driving too slowly in qualifying.
Lawson is currently in his second full season with Racing Bulls, having accumulated 63 points across 14 points-scoring finishes, including three Sprint races. His future for the 2027 season remains uncertain, with Racing Bulls evaluating potential driver line-ups.
