Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson received one-place grid penalties and penalty points after an "unacceptable" collision during Friday's Formula 1 Mexico GP practice at Foro Sol. The incident occurred when Verstappen attempted to overtake Lawson at Turn 12, leading to contact that damaged Verstappen's barge boards. Both drivers defended side by side into the stadium section, with Verstappen claiming Lawson forced him off track at Turn 13 before contact at Turn 14.
Verstappen criticized Lawson's behavior post-incident, calling it "not very smart" to "pick a fight" with him. Racing Bulls principal Alan Permane described the clash as a "storm in a teacup" over tyre preparation tactics, noting both drivers were pursuing optimal last sector times for Turn 1. The stewards, referencing earlier Team Managers meeting warnings, escalated penalties from formal warnings to grid penalties, citing the incident as consistent with previous F1 practice contact cases.
Both drivers later admitted their moves were unnecessary and clumsy.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing