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Verstappen criticises Lawson after Mexican GP practice clash
Max Verstappen said Liam Lawson’s move was “not very smart behaviour” after their contact in Friday’s FP2 at the Mexican GP.
31 Oct 2026 0 reads Compiled with AI
During the second practice session for the Mexican Grand Prix, Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson collided in the stadium section of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. The clash sent debris across the circuit, prompting a brief red flag, and both drivers were sent to the stewards for the incident.
Verstappen’s critique
Verstappen said the clash was not “unlucky” and called Lawson’s behaviour “not very smart”, pointing to Lawson’s uncertain future at Racing Bulls. He told Sky Sports F1 the incident would not change his weekend, but that Lawson should have acted smarter. The remarks came as Racing Bulls, Red Bull’s sister team, had yet to confirm its 2027 driver line-up.
The contact damaged Verstappen’s bargeboard, reducing downforce, and complicated Red Bull’s preparations for the rest of the weekend. Team principal Laurent Mekies said it was “a bit of a shame” because the team had to carry on with a damaged car, telling Sky Sports Germany. Verstappen set the fifth‑fastest time in FP2.
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane described the clash as “unnecessary” and said both drivers could do better. The incident also put a spotlight on Lawson’s future, with Racing Bulls weighing whether to promote Formula 2 contender Nikola Tsolov. Tsolov, who took over Lawson’s car for FP1, finished 12th on his F1 practice debut, a tenth of a second behind teammate Arvid Lindblad.
