MEXICO CITY (Realist English). The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has confirmed that both drivers — Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls — will be penalized with the loss of one position on the grid for Sunday’s race. The incident occurred on Friday, 30 October, during the second free practice session (FP2) at the Hermanos Rodríguez Autodrome. In addition to the grid drop, each driver received one penalty point on their super licence.
Circumstances of the incident
The collision occurred in the “stadium” section of the track (Foro Sol). According to the official stewards’ document, Verstappen was on a preparation lap for a fast time, while Lawson was completing a cool-down lap before his next attempt.
On the approach to Turn 12, Verstappen went for an overtake, and Lawson tried to recover position on the exit of the left-hand corner. As a result, the Red Bull car bounced on the kerb, and the cars made contact, damaging Verstappen’s floor and the front wing of the Racing Bulls. The session was stopped with red flags to clear the debris.
The stewards heard both drivers and reviewed video and telemetry. The verdict stated that the drivers’ behaviour was deemed “unacceptable,” especially given the warning issued at the team managers’ meeting earlier that day. Both drivers admitted their actions were “unnecessary” and “clumsy.” Since similar incidents in practice had already occurred this season, the stewards decided to escalate the penalty from a formal warning to a grid drop.
Reaction from the parties
Verstappen criticized Lawson’s actions after the session, saying that “when you’re fighting for your place, it’s not very smart behaviour.” According to the four-time world champion, the New Zealander, upon noticing the approaching Red Bull, suddenly accelerated and tried to force him off the track at the hairpin. Lawson, for his part, is fighting to keep his seat at Racing Bulls for the 2027 season: he is one of three candidates for two vacancies at Red Bull’s junior team.
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane called the episode “unnecessary” and directed that assessment at both drivers: “I’m sure Max has his opinion, Liam has his. My opinion: it just wasn’t required, and both can do better.”
Main event of the weekend
The penalty was merely a secondary storyline compared to the main event of the weekend in Mexico City — the possible first world championship title for Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. The Italian, who was fourth fastest in Friday practice, can become champion on Sunday: even if George Russell or Lewis Hamilton wins, he only needs to finish ninth or tenth respectively. The fastest time in both sessions was set by Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who was 0.103 seconds ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren.
The penalty for an incident in practice is a rare but not unprecedented decision: the stewards directly referred to a series of similar episodes in FP this year and to the warning issued to the teams.
Losing one position on the grid in Mexico City, where overtaking is difficult due to thin air and a short start-finish straight, could prove more sensitive than it seems, especially for Verstappen, who has taken two wins and four further podiums in the last six races. For Lawson, the penalty is additional negative background in his fight for a contract. The key question remains whether this position will affect the tactics of Red Bull and Racing Bulls in qualifying and whether the stewards’ decision will become a subject of further dispute if the margin at the finish is minimal.
