Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson both just got slapped with a one-place grid drop for this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix. Seriously, after Friday’s second practice session, race stewards dropped the hammer on both drivers for some pretty wild contact out on the track. It’s an early blow for both before the real racing even begins.
“Unnecessary and ‘Clumsy’” Contact Leads to Red Flag
So, what went down? Early in the second practice hour, Verstappen and Lawson got way too close for comfort near Turn 12. Verstappen was on a prep lap, trying to get ready for a fast run, while Lawson was cooling down, gearing up for his own push. They went wheel-to-wheel from Turn 12 all the way through Turn 14, making contact not just once, but multiple times. Are you kidding me? This wasn’t some gentle tap either. The collision was bad enough that it scattered debris all over the circuit, forcing a quick red flag to get the track clear. You don’t see that every day in practice, and it immediately signaled trouble.
Race stewards flagged the incident for investigation, and both drivers had to answer for it after FP2. Their verdict? Both drivers “admitted the moves were unnecessary and ‘clumsy.’” Ouch. That’s a direct quote from the stewards’ decision. This isn’t just a slap on the wrist either. The stewards noted they’ve seen “similar incidents this year” in Free Practice. They said they’re escalating the penalty from a formal warning to a grid position drop, especially after warning team managers about this very thing. So, basically, they’ve had enough of this kind of action.
Verstappen Fires Shots: “Not Very Smart Behavior”
After all that, Verstappen didn’t hold back when talking to the media. He straight-up questioned what Lawson was even doing. “Not very smart behavior, what he was trying to do there,” Verstappen said. He then added, “At the end of the day, it’s not going to change my weekend, but if I were him, I would act a little bit smarter. Also, when you’re fighting for your seat, it’s a not very smart behavior.” Talk about a brutal takedown! Lawson finished FP2 in ninth, while Verstappen was fifth-fastest, so the incident clearly didn’t wreck his pace. But that kind of public call-out from a world champion has to sting, especially when your future in the sport is on the line.
So, heading into the Mexico City Grand Prix, both Verstappen and Lawson will start one position lower than they qualify. It’s a penalty that could change everything for their race strategies and puts an immediate spotlight on how they manage their race starts. You can bet everyone will be watching what happens in Turn 1 on Sunday.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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