Max Verstappen qualified fourth for the Mexico City Grand Prix but drops to third row due to a grid penalty after colliding with Liam Lawson in second practice. Verstappen called the contact 'unsmart behaviour' from Lawson, who is fighting for his 2027 seat. The stewards issued a penalty despite it usually warranting a warning, aiming to set an example after prior incidents.
Verstappen said he wasn’t surprised, noting it’s happened before, and declined to comment further on being singled out. The next morning, Lawson apologised to Verstappen, calling the contact unintentional and admitting he was still adrenalised from the session. Both drivers said the matter was resolved.
When asked who should get the 2027 Racing Bulls seat—Lawson or junior Tsolov—Verstappen refused to back either, saying he’d leave it to the team and declined to share his personal opinion. Lawson remains uncertain about his F1 future.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing